


When Worlds Collide

by UnicornSnuggler



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, F/F, F/M, Hogwarts, Inventor, Lesbian Sex, Romance, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:42:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnicornSnuggler/pseuds/UnicornSnuggler
Summary: An American mudblood who can't cast spells suddenly finds himself being shipped overseas to attend Hogwarts.  He quickly learns that he's not a normal wizard...  To properly utilize magic, he must imbue his inventions.Will he be able to keep up with his peers?  Why isn't he enrolled at Ilvermorny?  And why can't Hermione Granger get him off of her mind?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Original Male Character(s), Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Original Male Character(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. Just the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This story will heavily feature smut once the scene has been sufficiently set. If you're in the mood to skip all of the cutesie budding romance and get straight to the good stuff, the first bits of smut can be found in Chapter 6. If you're in no rush, however, I strongly encourage you to start from the beginning and soak in all of the adorable foreplay 💕

The damage caused by the Second Wizarding War — both physical and emotional — was tremendous. It had taken a toll on all of the students and faculty at Hogwarts, but none more so than Minerva McGonagall. She had accepted her new role as Headmistress gracefully, but in truth she was worried. If another unfortunate situation transpired, she feared she wouldn't be able to handle it with the same degree of deftness that Albus Dumbledore had possessed. Of course, the resolution of the war wasn't merely brought about by one single individual, but there were still some very big shoes to fill in the wake of the former Headmaster's death.

She might have been simply putting undue pressure on herself, but it was certainly better to be proactive than reactive. In her eyes, the best way to alleviate the chances of being blindsided by another horrific catastrophe was to gather as much information as she could about upcoming wizards and witches. The Ministry of Magic had its methodology for detecting magic usage, to be sure. But to utilize their assistance would mean exposing herself to possible internal corruption and that was the last thing Minerva wanted to do under the circumstances. Accordingly, she set about creating her own magic detection device.

When she had learned that Hermione Granger would be returning the following year to acquire her N.E.W.T.s and properly graduate, she’d all but begged the poor girl to assist her. Hermione quickly agreed to lend a hand, seeing it as a puzzle to solve. Of course, she was delighted to be of some assistance to McGonagall, but she was equally happy to have an intellectual challenge to take her mind off of things. Something about the prospect of returning to her relatively mundane life as a student seemed incredibly appealing after what she’d endured in the war.

At that point, it was simply a matter of finding the right book. Neither of them had much experience with the detection of innate magical ability, but with McGonagall's connections and Hermione's studious nature, it didn't take them long to develop a combined working knowledge. In less than two weeks, the device was finished. However, it ended up working far more effectively than either of them could have hoped. Rather than simply being able to study magical events throughout Europe, it allowed them to scour the entire globe.

"Professor McGonagall... You're going to want to see this."

Hermione was standing in the Headmistress' office, looking over her shoulder with a combined expression of awe, excitement, and concern. On the table before her rested the device. It looked like a conventional globe save for the faint blue glow it emitted. At that moment, a rather persistent red dot was hovering over the United States, right along the eastern coast of New York.

That red dot indicated an unregistered magic user. It was something that wouldn't have been strange in and of itself. After all, the globe was filled with red dots, most of whom were newborns or toddlers who hadn't yet had the opportunity to use their magic. However, the individual in question had just turned 18 and had been wielding his magic long enough that MACUSA surely should have detected him. Something was clearly amiss...

Minerva rose from her desk and rushed to Hermione's side, investigating the anomaly. Her face scrunched up in confusion for a moment, her mind focused on rationalizing such an oversight. Then she sighed and shook her head.

"Oh dear... This won't do at all." Looking somberly toward Hermione, she softly said, "Miss Granger, I'm afraid I have an important task for you..."

\-----------------

Edgar was jetlagged, to say the least. A seven-hour flight from JFK to London Heathrow followed by a 40-minute cab ride to King’s Cross Station for what he imagined would be a very long train ride… His butt was sore from all the sitting and his mind was foggy from the sleep deprivation. In less than 48 hours, he’d gone from being a freshly graduated high schooler — on his way to the technical college of his dreams — to a foreigner rushed to an entirely new country for some mysterious overseas student exchange program.

Neither he nor his parents had signed him up for such a program, so the way it had been described in the letter he’d received was nothing short of astonishing. An entire school year free of charge along with prepaid travel, meals, and housing… Who’d turn their nose up at that? That wasn’t even including the fact that he’d never been outside of New York before, let alone to a different country. It was exhilarating and nerve-wracking all at once.

When the cab finally came to a stop, Edgar thanked his driver, pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, and climbed out of the car. Oddly enough, the letter had asked him to leave behind all of his belongings, explaining that he’d be provided all of his necessities upon his arrival at the school. It had certainly been a strange request, but with how exhausted he already felt, he was grateful that he didn’t need to lug around any bags.

As soon as he’d closed the door behind him, the cab drove off and he was alone once more – relatively speaking, of course. Hundreds of people were rushing in and out of the bustling train station, pushing past one another and paying Edgar no mind as he stood there with nothing but a letter in his hands. Despite being surrounded, he felt very much alone in that moment. No further instructions had been left; he was simply to arrive at the train station…

“Edgar Tyllian, I presume?”

He turned toward the sound of the voice and came face-to-face with an adorably cheerful girl, her brunette hair in a frizzy state. Had he been more attentive then, he would have noticed that the crowd of people walking around them suddenly seemed to give them a much wider berth. Instead, he was relieved to have some sort of guidance amidst the very disorienting situation. With a wide, genuine smile, he nodded and extended his hand. His new companion returned his friendly expression and reached out to shake his hand.

“My name is Hermione Granger and I’m going to be helping you from here on out. I’m sure you’ve got a lot of questions, but we’ve got a train to catch and it’s one we certainly don’t want to miss!” As soon as she released his hand, she began striding quickly and purposefully toward the station’s entrance, motioning for Edgar to follow along behind her. He paused for only a moment before tagging along. She was right in that he _did_ have plenty of questions to ask, but between the noise of the crowded station and the brisk pace with which Hermione was walking, he could tell it was hardly the time for a constructive conversation.

When Hermione finally came to a stop, it was in front of a large stone column flanked by signs featuring the numbers 9 and 10. She then turned on her heels to face him.

“I know this is going to look unbelievable, ridiculous, and perhaps a bit impossible… But I need you to trust me and do as I do, all right?” She locked eyes with Edgar as she spoke, her expression was warm and genuine with the slightest hint of pink on her cheeks.

Looking back at her, Edgar felt a strange sense of trepidation boiling up inside him. He had no reason to trust her… The situation in which he’d found himself felt more and more curious with every passing moment… But the way she was gazing at him — beseeching him to put his faith in her — set him at ease and compelled him to nod in agreement.

“All right,” he said finally. “I trust you…” Even as he spoke, he could feel his own cheeks burning. Though he’d meant it completely, the circumstances were still very strange. His reaction elicited a beaming grin from Hermione and she reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

“Remember… Do _exactly_ as I do. You’ll be fine, I promise.”

With one last look at him, Hermione pulled away, turned toward the pillar, and then sprinted fully toward it. Edgar’s immediate reaction was to yelp in surprise and call out for her to stop…

…and then she was gone. Unless his eyes were deceiving him, his new companion had just vanished _into_ the wall. For more than a few moments, he stood there dumbfounded, wondering how such a convincing illusion could be pulled off… But the more he thought about the look she’d given him and the more he thought about the trust she was asking him to confide in her…the more he couldn’t help but think it hadn’t been an illusion after all.

He could hardly believe what he was doing as he finally resolved to follow suit, gazing directly at the stone pillar while shaking out his hands and feet nervously like a sprinter before an important race. With a small inward laugh at the sheer insanity of what he was about to do, he took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and ran straight ahead.

What he’d subconsciously expected was pain, agony, or an abundance of regret at the very least. None of those sensations overcame him, however, and when he finally opened his eyes, he saw Hermione’s friendly, smiling face once more.

“I knew you had it in you,” she said — almost smugly — as she reached out for his arm. “Now hurry along.” For his part, Edgar could only chuckle with a combination of awe and relief. Coherent thoughts evaded him as Hermione practically dragged him toward the train.

\-----------------

“Wow…”

Edgar and Hermione were seated in a compartment all to themselves on the Hogwarts Express, conversing back and forth as the train chugged along its tracks toward the school. Hermione had spent the better part of two hours opening Edgar’s mind to the wondrous world of magic, citing his experience at King’s Cross as his first example and demonstrating a few simple — but magnificent — spells right there in front of him. She’d then gone on to discuss Hogwarts and the conventions therein regarding student enrollment and the kind of education that young witches and wizards received there. To Edgar’s credit, he’d soaked it all in excitedly. Rather than being closed-minded and averse to what Hermione was conveying, he was delighted to learn that the world around him could be so much more… _magical_.

Hermione had been watching him gleefully, the smile spanning her lips hardly leaving for a second as each new epiphany brought another wave of childlike wonder to Edgar’s features. That same shade of pink returned to her cheeks when she realized that the eagerness and thirst for knowledge that Edgar possessed were things he shared with her. Very rarely did she get to meet someone as anxious to learn as she was.

“Wait,” he finally said as something seemed to click in his mind. “So…if Hogwarts isn’t the only wizarding school in the world, does that mean there’s one in the United States as well?” His head cocked to the side in anticipation of her answer.

Hermione’s blush intensified and she gave a small nod, saying, “Yes… But it’s complicated, you see. You’re unlike any other wizard I’ve ever met. Likely that _anyone’s_ ever met, for that matter!” She cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter, her eyes locking onto Edgar’s. “It took the Headmistress and I a great deal of time to figure out how exactly _your_ magic works. It’s truly remarkable, Edgar. The rest of us witches and wizards…we need wands to cast spells. But you…” She trailed off momentarily, gazing at him admiringly. “Well, you’re a tinkerer. Think for a moment about all the gadgets you’ve made over the years. Do you have one on you now?” 

Edgar started to shake his head, then stopped and thought for a second…before chuckling softly and sheepishly saying, “Technically, but it’s a little silly.” He then reached into his pocket and withdrew a small cylinder, no larger than a bullet casing. It had a silver body and a small glass dome at one end. “It’s something I quickly threw together before I left.” He held it up so they could both study it. “Nothing special, really. My parents have an identical one. When either of the buttons is pushed…” His thumb came down to click the glass tip briefly downward. “…the light at the top of the other one will blink and the whole thing will vibrate.”

After a moment, the small tube jittered a little and the dome at the top emitted a faint red light, indicating that his parents had clicked the top of _theirs_. The phenomenon made Edgar smile and he clutched the device happily in his hand before stowing it back in his pocket.

“I made them so that I could let my parents know when I was thinking of them and they could do the same; so that no matter how far away from one another we are, we can still feel close together.”

“Edgar, that’s so sweet…” The sentiment warmed Hermione to the core and she couldn’t help but smile. Then the analytical side of her took over and her smile widened. “Think about that for a second, though. Do either of those devices require batteries?” Edgar shook his head and blushed even further. “And they function perfectly no matter how far apart they are, don’t they?” He nodded along with her, his expression shifting to one of confusion rather than embarrassment.

“ _That’s_ what makes you special, Edgar. Your inventions are _powered_ by magic. And without even knowing it, you’ve been imbuing them with spells all this time.”

Her words finally struck a chord with Edgar and a wave of realization washed over him. Why _hadn’t_ he ever thought of that before? None of the devices he’d crafted had ever needed a power source. That should have been odd to him, but now that he was looking back, it was just something he’d never really noticed before. And while the trinkets he made weren’t particularly _spectacular_ , he couldn’t deny that a few of them were able to do some very strange things.

Hermione watched the expression on Edgar’s face morph through a variety of emotions as all of this new information finally came to the forefront of his mind. It was — in a word — adorable.

“I… I hadn’t noticed until now. But you’re absolutely right.” He looked down at his hands in awe and shook his head in disbelief. “Wow,” he said once more, a dumbstruck smile on his lips. He looked back up at Hermione curiously, though, and said, “That still doesn’t entirely answer my question though. If there’s a wizarding school in the United States, why couldn’t I have just gone there instead?”

He watched as his new companion’s demeanor sunk a bit and it filled him with worry.

“Edgar… The wizarding world tends to be dangerous. Don’t get me wrong, there are _plenty_ of things to be concerned about in the muggle world. But once you introduce magic into the mix, things get a lot more complicated. Like I mentioned earlier, we do everything we can to keep muggles oblivious to our existence and the kinds of things we’re capable of. All those stories about witch hunts…they’re not just make-believe.”

Edgar’s own attitude seemed to shift at the somber message that Hermione was conveying.

“Your abilities are incredible, there’s no denying that. I’m sure the more we learn about what you can do, the more incredible they’ll become. And _that’s_ precisely why we want to protect you. The thing that makes you special is the very same thing that might end you up in harm’s way somewhere down the line…”

Another connection seemed to be made in Edgar’s mind then and — after a moment of silence — he said, “You’re worried that someone might try to exploit my gift, aren’t you? My parents…they’re not wizards, but they can use my gadgets all the same. With my inventions, muggles would be able to wield magic in some small capacity and that’s a troublesome prospect…” With every word, he looked more and more sullen and it made Hermione’s heart heavy.

“I’m afraid so… There are some bad people out there, Edgar. And you don’t deserve the kinds of things they might want to do to you.” She frowned at his reaction, watching all of the excitement drain from him and be replaced instead by sorrow. Reaching out, she placed a reassuring hand on his knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked up at her and she gave him a genuine smile. “Don’t worry, Edgar. You’ll be safe at Hogwarts and I’ll be there for you every step of the way.”

And there it was again; the smallest smirk slowly forming and a happy little nod.

“Thank you, Hermione,” he said with glee. She let loose a laugh and nodded back at him. That small act was enough to pull Edgar from his worries and he was soon laughing along with her.

“All right, all right. You’ve had your fun. I bet you have loads more questions, but it’s my turn now.” She retracted her hand and shoved it into her bag, fishing out a notebook and a quill. When she was ready to start writing, she looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye.

“I want to hear all about your inventions.”

\-----------------


	2. The Golden Quartet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgar is sorted into his house and introduced to the two additional friends that will join him and Hermione for their adventures at Hogwarts.

“You needn’t worry,” Hermione said, placing a hand reassuringly on Edgar’s shoulder.

They were standing in the Great Hall dressed in their ceremonial robes, crowded in with all the other Hogwarts students. A huddle of first-year students was gathered not far from them, all anxiously chatting amongst themselves and looking around the room with wonder. It was — in fact — the same look of wonder that Edgar himself had possessed upon seeing the castle for the first time. It was likely how he’d still look if he weren’t so uncomfortable.

He and Hermione had spent the entire train ride to Hogwarts conversing; she’d done her best to get him up to speed and he’d asked more questions than either of them could count. One of the many things they’d discussed was the Sorting Ceremony. Hermione had warned him that this was going to be the first of many situations within which Edgar would feel _tremendously_ awkward. As an 18-year old American, he was already going to stand out quite a bit at Hogwarts. In the Sorting Ceremony, however, he’d be surrounded by children no more than 12 years of age. Neither of them could imagine a scenario that would draw even more attention to him than that.

“Trust me, it doesn’t matter which house you’re placed in. All that matters is who you spend your time with. Besides,” she said, giving him a soft smile, “you’re plenty personable. I’m sure you’ll make friends regardless.”

Edgar returned her smile and reached up to pat her hand gratefully. Then he broke away and stepped forward to join the first-year students. As he drew near, all conversation within the group died down to hushed whispers and Edgar soon felt more than a dozen pairs of eyes on him. He felt a heat rising in his cheeks and suddenly wished he were anywhere else but there. Relief coursed through him when a clattering sound echoed out and the attention was shifted off of him.

Up ahead of the group of students, a small, well-dressed half-goblin was propping up a stepladder near a wooden stool. Based on what Hermione had told him, Edgar instantly recognized the old hat sitting atop the stool. When the short man had completed his ascent to the top of the ladder, he cleared his throat and held up a long piece of parchment.

“Good evening, students, and welcome to Hogwarts. I’m Professor Filius Flitwick. Now, when I call your name, please come up here and take a seat. I’ll place the Sorting Hat on your head and you’ll be sorted into your house. Let’s get started, shall we?”

Professor Flitwick began calling out names and Edgar watched on as the children all around him were placed into their houses, one after another. He began to wonder where he’d end up. Part of him hoped that he’d be sorted into Gryffindor so he’d continue to be within arms’ reach of Hermione. Soon, only two other students were standing with him.

“Edgar Tyllian,” Professor Flitwick called out. Edgar gulped and took a step forward, hesitating for a moment before continuing. That same sensation — eyes watching him closely, studying him intently — returned then. With each subsequent footfall, it intensified. One gaze, in particular, caught his eye; a woman at the center of the large table near the front of the room looked upon him with great interest and curiosity. Edgar heaved a sigh as he turned and sat down on the stool, facing the hundreds of students who were staring at him. His eyes quickly clamped shut to block out the sight, but it was already engraved in his brain, causing his cheeks to burn with embarrassment. He felt the hat being lowered onto his head and then an unfamiliar feeling as it came to life above him.

“Oh yes,” the hat muttered softly overhead. “Hmm… Very curious indeed… _Very_ curious…” Edgar held his breath as the hat fell silent, pondering the contents of his mind. Then, after a moment, it finally roared out, “ **Ravenclaw!** ” Perhaps he was just being paranoid, but Edgar could have sworn that the sounds of celebration that followed his sorting were much quieter and sparser than those that had come after the previous students’ sorting.

When he felt the hat being lifted off of his head, he opened his eyes and hopped off of the stool, heading off toward the Ravenclaw table. Out of his periphery, he saw Hermione at the Gryffindor clapping wildly for him and it helped to settle his nerves. He thought on what she’d said and felt certain that they’d still be good friends despite their differing houses.

Most of the Ravenclaw students were avoiding making direct eye contact with Edgar, clapping along politely without much enthusiasm. One blonde girl seemed to be doing the exact opposite, however, smiling widely and reveling in his placement with gusto. Edgar might have been otherwise perturbed by the faraway look in her eyes, but something about her excitement was comforting — especially in contrast to the rest of his prospective peers — so he opted to sit next to her.

The clapping soon died down and Professor Flitwick continued. Once the final two students were seated at their appropriate tables, he descended from his stepladder and headed around to take his spot behind the long table. As he did so, Minerva McGonagall rose from her chair and gave two loud claps to silence the room once more.

“To those of you who are new to Hogwarts, welcome. To those of you returning, welcome _back_.” A serious expression took over her face then as she continued. “This school, its students, and its staff have all undergone a great trial in this last year. We commence a new year with heavy hearts, but it is my hope that each and every one of you will soon recall what it is that makes Hogwarts such a special place.” That sentiment was received with a small bout of clapping from the students and the staff alike. When the room fell quiet again, McGonagall continued.

“With that in mind, we have a few modifications to our staff this year. As you may have guessed, I’ve chosen Filius Flitwick to be my Deputy Headmaster.” She turned and gestured toward where the half-goblin was seated and he stood up on his chair with a smile on his face. “I can think of no better person for the role.” More clapping and cheering sounded out before Flitwick dropped back into his seat.

“As for the professor of Transfiguration, Cornelius Fudge will be joining our ranks.” The ex-Minister of Magic rose almost sheepishly from his chair and nodded at the student body. While there was still plenty of clapping and cheering, this time those sounds were joined by confused murmurs and hushed whispers. “I think we can all recall what happened the last time a member of the Ministry of Magic joined our staff and some of you may be worried.” The air in the Great Hall was tense as Fudge sat back down. “However, I assure you that Professor Fudge is not here to cause any trouble.”

“We also have a new Muggle Studies professor. I’m delighted to introduce Mary Cattermole.” A timid, black-haired woman stood then, beaming with joy. “It is my belief that her teachings will be some of the best this school has ever seen.” She blushed slightly and nodded toward McGonagall as she took her seat once again.

“And finally, Defense Against the Dark Arts. For this role, I’ve selected someone who has proven — time and time again — to have unparalleled bravery and courage. Someone who led the charge against dark forces when his peers needed him the most. Someone I have great faith in.” McGonagall turned to face the end of the long table and smiled at the young boy who was seated there. He smiled back, his cheeks reddening as he stood up. “It is my honor to announce that Neville Longbottom will be your professor this year.”

The room exploded into celebration, students from all houses clapping and cheering for the boy who’d only a handful of months prior been one of their classmates. Neville’s smile widened as he took in the applause, shaking his head and laughing softly to himself, then sitting down. McGonagall allowed the celebration to continue for a while before tapping the tip of her wand against a glass goblet on the table in front of her. A clinking sound soon brought the students back into silence.

“As that marks the last of our announcements, I suppose there’s only one thing left to say…” With a grin and a flourish of her wand, McGonagall said, “Let’s eat!”

Edgar watched with awe as every inch of table space in the room was suddenly packed full of food, a ginormous feast for the students and staff alike to enjoy. The once-empty space on the table before him was quickly populated with a variety of delicious-looking entrees and desserts. Some of them were familiar to him, but the majority looked strangely new and exciting. He didn’t even hesitate to reach out and start grabbing at various dishes, wanting to try as much as he could.

It was only a few moments later that he once again began feeling as though he was being watched. With a mouth full of food, he turned toward the blonde girl seated next to him who was gazing at him intensely.

“Hello there,” she said dreamily, seemingly unfazed by the fact that he’d just noticed her staring. “I’m Luna Lovegood.”

He blushed as he finished chewing the admittedly large bite he’d taken, then gave her a friendly nod as he swallowed.

“My name’s Edgar,” he said, at last, setting his food down for a moment to turn his attention more fully toward her. He then let out a nervous laugh and gestured toward the stool at the front of the room. “I suppose you already knew that though.”

Luna nodded politely and said, “Your accent is fascinating. You’re from America, aren’t you?”

“That I am,” he replied, laughing again. “I suppose that’s a question I’m going to have to get used to answering.”

“Most likely. Many of the students here have never met an American before. I imagine that would feel pretty alienating.” Despite the frank nature of her words, her tone of voice was perfectly companionable.

“You’re right about that.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at her bluntness.

Just then, a red-haired girl wearing Gryffindor robes appeared seemingly out of nowhere and slid into the open spot on Luna’s other side. Luna turned happily toward her and giggled softly before wrapping her arms around the girl and planting a kiss on her cheek. The girl smiled widely, then seemed to notice Edgar, who had been staring at them perhaps a bit too intently. He blushed and looked back at the food in front of him, eliciting a laugh from Luna’s companion.

“Who’s your new friend, Luna?” the girl asked, pulling away from the embrace and studying Edgar more closely.

“Ginny, meet Edgar.” Luna smiled back at Edgar and said, “He’s an American.”

“Really?” Ginny asked, incredulous. “I have so many things to ask you. First of all-“

Just then, a voice from across the table called out, “Ginny! What are you doing?” Edgar jerked his head toward the familiar voice and smiled as he saw Hermione approaching them. “You’re going to get yourself into trouble if you’re caught sitting at the Ravenclaw table during the Welcoming Feast.” Even as she was discussing the prospect of punishment, she slid into a seat across from them as well.

“That’s just a myth,” Ginny said dismissively, waving her hand. “No one’s ever _actually_ gotten in trouble for that.”

Hermione simply sighed and shook her head, but the smirk on her lips made it clear that it was all in jest. She then turned her attention to Edgar and beamed.

“Ravenclaw suits you,” she said with a nod. “And I see you’ve already met Luna. I’m sure she’ll help show you the ropes when I’m not around.” Luna nodded as well and Ginny smiled at her lovingly, resting her head on Luna’s shoulder.

“She’s pretty great, Edgar,” Ginny said, wrapping her arm around Luna’s waist.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the physical affection and said, “You know that you two really are nauseating, right?” Once again, the smile she wore gave away that she was simply teasing them.

“I think Hermione’s jealous, Luna,” Ginny rebutted, leaning up to plant another kiss on Luna’s cheek.

Luna simply shrugged and said, “It’s likely that she just misses Ron. They’ve been apart all summer. She’s probably going to be lonely this year without him.”

Hermione’s cheeks flushed and a silence fell over the four of them. Even Edgar blushed a little. It was starting to occur to him that Luna was simply a plain-spoken person. And judging by the grin on Ginny’s face, it was something that her companion found to be quite humorous.

“Edgar,” Hermione finally said, clearing her throat. “Let me know when you’ve finished eating and I’ll show you around. Normally, the prefects give the first-year students a brief tour and show them to their house common rooms. Your situation is quite different, though.”

She then rose and waved goodbye, turning back to the Gryffindor table. Ginny looked at Luna knowingly, then pressed her lips against Luna’s for a moment or two before pulling back and getting up herself.

“I should go and join her, love. I’ll meet up with you after the feast. You two play nice now!”

Edgar watched her walk away, then turned toward Luna with a goofy look on his face.

“How long have you two been together?” he asked timidly, the blush still present on his cheeks.

“Since the start of the summer,” said Luna thoughtfully. “She’s quite extraordinary. And insatiable at times.” Her eyes locked on Edgar’s and her words hung in the air between them. Then she shifted her attention to the food before her and slowly began gathering up bits on her plate.

Edgar could only blush as he returned to his meal.

\-----------------

“And this is the library,” Hermione said with an air of finality, gesturing through the large arched entrance. “It’ll likely be of great use to you this year. You’ll be on sort of an accelerated curriculum, so you might have to fill in the gaps with a bit of reading. Don’t worry, though. I’ll help you as best I can.” She smiled at Edgar and then turned to look into the massive room. A happy sigh came from her then.

“It’s spectacular…” Edgar marveled at the immense quantity of books filling the shelves and his own eyes lit up with excitement. There was so much knowledge to be gained here and he couldn’t wait to dive in and start absorbing it all. Hermione turned back just in time to see his eagerness and it caused the corner of her lips to curl up into a smirk.

“Come on,” she said, grabbing at his arm and tugging him back toward the staircases. “It’s time you got settled into your dorm.”

They walked in comfortable silence for a little while before Edgar spoke up.

“Out of curiosity… What was all that stuff the Headmistress was talking about? This last year being a _trial_ and whatnot?” He looked over at Hermione and saw her stiffen and tense up at the question.

“It’s…a long story.” She sighed and looked down at the floor while they walked. “Truthfully, you could fill a handful of books with everything that transpired. But…the short version, I suppose, is that a _horrible_ man used dark magic to murder dozens of people. The death toll would have likely been much greater had it not been for a good friend of mine.” She grabbed Edgar’s arm then and stopped walking, turning him to face her.

“That’s why McGonagall is so worried about you. Why I’m worried too. What you can do is special… And I’d hate to imagine what might happen if someone like _that_ ever got their hands on you.” The troubled look in Hermione’s eyes and her somber tone both chilled Edgar to the bone. But he cast that feeling aside and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Hermione. I’ll be a magic expert in no time and then I’ll be invincible!” He wore a playful grin and raised his fist high in the air in mock triumph. The goofy sight broke through to Hermione and her frown gradually shifted to a smirk of her own.

“You’re a right nutter, you know that?” she said through a giggle, releasing his arm and heading onward down the corridor. Edgar chuckled to himself and quickly caught up with her. “You’ll fit right in here, though, I’ll tell you that much.”

“Especially if I’m going to be hanging around with Luna,” he replied, still chuckling. “She’s an interesting person.”

Hermione laughed in reply and said, “Sometimes she can be charming. Other times I wish she had more of a filter. Nevertheless, she’s a dear friend of mine. I can still hardly believe that she and Ginny are together now…” She blushed a bit then and shook her head. “Those two are inseparable. And they’re constantly sneaking off to snog…or worse.” Her blush deepened and she sighed. Edgar laughed at her reaction, but he recalled what Luna had said at the feast and his own cheeks filled with color.

“Up until recently, Ginny had been with that friend I mentioned earlier. But I suppose after everything that happened… Well, to be frank, it had all been quite overwhelming. Once you go through something like that, it changes you. For Ginny, I guess that meant seeking out a sort of normalcy. Merlin knows I can relate to that…”

They fell back into silence as they walked, though this time it was less comfortable than the last. Up they went, round and round a spiral staircase. Hermione came to a stop in front of a large, knobless door, in the center of which rested a bronze eagle head with a round knocker suspended from its beak. She looked at Edgar eagerly and gestured toward the knocker.

“Go ahead; give it a tap or two.”

Edgar looked confused for a moment, but he reached up anyway and grabbed at the ring, rapping twice. After he released it, the metallic eagle head sprung to life and began to speak, its voice echoing down the spiral staircase.

“ _I am flat as a leaf and round as a ring. I have two eyes but can’t see a thing. What am I?_ ”

He stood wide-eyed as he watched the eagle speak to him, then a faraway look took over his features as he pondered the riddle. He squinted and mouthed the words, eliciting a smile from Hermione as she watched him work through it. Then he gasped softly and looked up at the eagle’s head excitedly.

“A button!” he called out, a little louder than he’d intended.

“ _Very good_ ,” came the voice of the eagle. A second later, the click of the lock sounded out and the door opened wide for the both of them.

Beaming, Hermione said, “Welcome to your house common room.”

Edgar took in a deep breath as he admired the sight of the large common area. Set in the wall opposite the entryway, a deep alcove boasted a modest collection of books. Along another side of the circular room were a fireplace and a few rather comfortable-looking armchairs. Tables and cozy decorations dotted the rest of the space. A couple of older students were milling about and chatting amongst themselves.

“This is so… _homey_ ,” he said, marveling as he stepped deeper into the room. His feet carried him toward the tiny library seemingly of their own accord and he reached out to run a finger over the worn books resting on the shelves, scanning their titles. “I love it here!”

Hermione smiled widely and said, “Wait until you see your dormitory…” She waved for him to join her and headed over to a pair of staircases leading up into a tower. “The girls’ dorms are up that way, though there’s a charm in place that prevents boys from entering. You’ll be heading up _this_ stairwell.” She started up the steps and Edgar followed closely behind.

“But girls can get into the boys’ dorms?” There was a hint of playful indignation in his voice.

Hermione simply shrugged and said, “Don’t blame me; it’s all the boys before you who have ruined it for everyone else.” Edgar chuckled and kept pace with her. They wound their way to the top of the tower. Soon they arrived at a section that seemed brand new, untouched by the thousands of students who had previously roamed the rest of the staircase.

“McGonagall felt a little weird about putting you with a bunch of first-year students and I can’t say I disagree with her there. She also felt like it would have been strange to stick you with the lot of seventh-year students. There weren’t a whole lot of alternatives, so she just went ahead and extended the tower to give you your own space.” Hermione met Edgar’s gaze as she pushed open the door to reveal his private dormitory.

He couldn’t keep from smiling at the sight. Of course, it was nothing spectacular; a four-poster bed, a wardrobe, a small bookcase, and what appeared to be a rudimentary tinkering workbench above which hovered several small containers with various crafting components. It was all so cozy, though, and it belonged _to him_. That made it special and he was delighted.

“We weren’t sure what sorts of parts you might need for your gadgets, so we made our best guesses. If you find yourself missing anything essential, I’m sure we can go about acquiring it for you. I guess now is as good a time as any to remind you that we’re all sort of learning this as we go. We have no idea what to expect from you just yet and I can’t imagine you do either.” She paused to add emphasis to her words before turning and starting back down the stairs.

“Go ahead; get settled in and make yourself at home. I’ll see you for breakfast in the morning and we can talk about where to go from here.” She stopped before she’d disappeared completely and craned her neck to look up at Edgar with a smile on her face. “Good night, Edgar.”

And then she was gone. He listened for a moment to the sounds of her footsteps rising through the tower, then stepped into the dormitory and closed the door behind himself. A cursory inventory of the workbench’s stock indicated that he had _more_ than enough to work with. And as he flopped down onto the bed and let out a heavy sigh, he knew that his space would be plenty sufficient.

It was shaping up to be an excellent school year.

\-----------------


	3. Baby Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgar attends his first few classes, learns of the events of the Second Wizarding War, and crafts his first magical invention.

Edgar pulled his robe on and fastened it into place, then stepped in front of the full-body mirror standing in one corner of his dormitory. A wide grin spread over his lips as he took in his reflection, admiring the way the Ravenclaw uniform looked on him. When he was done gawking, he whipped around to grab at his bag and slung the strap over his shoulder. Moments later, he was out the door and practically flying down the spiral staircase. When he’d reached the landing and crossed into the common room, he looked up at a clock on the wall. It was nearly eight o’clock and he expected that Luna would be emerging at any minute. His eyes locked onto the stairwell leading up to the girls’ dormitories and he began pacing back and forth.

It was the first day of classes and he was anxious in all the best ways. There was a whole world of magic to learn about and newfound abilities of his own to uncover. Nothing could have been more exciting than that.

After what felt like an eternity, Luna finally came into view, prancing down the steps. Edgar sighed in relief and reached up to push his glasses into place.

She smiled sweetly when she saw him and — in her trademark bewildered tone of voice — said, “Oh! Good morning, Edgar.”

Edgar nodded and said, “Right back at you! Now let’s go; I’m starving!”

Luna laughed softly and nodded, picking up her pace a bit and heading straight toward the door leading out of the common room with Edgar by her side.

“I suppose you’re excited for your first day,” she said as they made their way down the Ravenclaw tower.

With another nod, he said, “All my life I thought that magic was just a thing of fiction. Now I’ve learned that I’m a wizard and it’s as though my entire perspective on the world has changed… To say that I’m excited is the understatement of the century.” His words elicited a giggle from his companion.

“I almost envy you in a way. You’re so much older now than I was when I learned that I’m a witch. We were all so little when we found out about magic and it’s just a natural part of our lives now. But you’ve spent so much of your life without it. You know what it’s like to struggle with mundane tasks that magic can solve instantly. You’ll end up appreciating it so much more than any of us.”

That resonated with him. She had a very good point and he knew that it was part of the reason he was so excited to be exposed to such a wondrous new world. The other part was something Hermione would have been delighted to hear; he was simply eager to learn more. His hunger for knowledge was never-ending and Hogwarts promised a nearly endless supply of the stuff.

“You’ve got me there.” He gave Luna a playful smirk as they rounded the corner and the entrance to the Great Hall came into view. The smell of breakfast food wafted out into the corridor and Edgar’s eyes widened, his attention suddenly miles away from the conversation he was having with Luna. The look on his face caused her to giggle again and she watched him quickly rush forward.

Their two other friends were already seated together near the entrance. Hermione had been subconsciously glancing toward the doors in anticipation of their arrival — or at least _Edgar’s_ arrival — and it hadn’t slipped past Ginny. When Edgar strode into the room and Hermione visibly perked up, Ginny couldn’t help but smirk into her plate of food.

“Morning, guys!” Edgar called out as he took a seat next to Hermione.

“Good morning,” Ginny and Hermione both said in reply.

Luna, not far behind him, slid into a spot by Ginny and planted a kiss on her cheek. Ginny silently turned and leaned in to press their lips together. Hermione — in typical fashion — rolled her eyes and looked over at Edgar while he collected some food of his own.

“You’ve got a big day ahead of you,” she said excitedly. “I’ve got your schedule right here...” She reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a folded-up piece of parchment, handing it to him. “Your situation is quite tricky since you need the right combination of foundation _and_ practical implementation.”

Edgar took the parchment from her and unfolded it, examining the contents of the page. Some of the classes seemed self-explanatory – or as much as they could be given the context of the school. Others would certainly require some explanation.

“A few of your classes you’ll be taking without us – likely with first- and second-year students. But you have a handful that we’ll be around for.” Hermione gave him a friendly smile as she spoke. Then she noticed the pointed look that Ginny was giving her and a surge of color rushed to her cheeks. Nevertheless, she shifted her attention back to Edgar and cocked her head to the side curiously.

“Did you bring any of your tinkering supplies? You’ll likely be learning your first spell in Charms class today and…well…honestly, I still don’t quite know what to expect.”

Edgar chuckled and folded up the parchment, saying, “I figured it was best to be prepared. I packed some basics just in case.” He patted his bag to emphasize his point. “I’m not sure what to expect either, but I suppose I may as well just give it a shot and see what happens, right?”

That same adorable smile painted Hermione’s lips as she nodded in reply and said, “I’m sure you’ll figure something out. And the three of us will be there with you to lend a hand if need be!”

“I must admit,” said Luna, tugging herself away from Ginny’s embrace for a moment, “that I’m very eager to see how your gift works, Edgar.”

“No pressure,” Ginny said with a grin and a roll of her eyes. Edgar laughed and shook his head, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Either it’ll all work out or I’ll die of embarrassment. No matter the outcome, you guys will all come out of it with a story to tell.” All three of his friends laughed and it filled Edgar with warmth. Knowing that they would all be there to help him through was incredibly reassuring and set his mind at ease. However, he hadn’t been lying to Luna when he’d said he was starving and it was then that he chose to prove it. He scooped up a heap of the delectable food and plopped it in front of himself, digging in like it was the first meal he’d had in weeks.

Hermione watched him, the smile never leaving her face. Until, of course, she noticed Ginny smirking her way once again, at which point she blushed and looked back at her food quickly.

\-----------------

The four of them walked in step with one another, Hermione and Edgar in the lead with Ginny and Luna side-by-side not far behind them. They all shared their nine o’clock classes and Herbology was on the schedule for Mondays and Wednesdays. Hermione had delighted in telling Edgar just how intriguing magical flora could be. It was a notion that Luna wholeheartedly agreed with.

“Sure, it’s all _intriguing_ ,” Ginny said with a tinge of dismay in her voice. “But it can also be pretty wretched sometimes.”

Hermione giggled and leaned in closer to Edgar as they walked, softly saying, “She’s just upset because she got snagged by a Venomous Tentacula during class.”

“They’re _venomous_! It’s in the bloody name!” Ginny crossed her arms and pouted – a sight that made Edgar let out a chuckle. Luna gave her girlfriend a sympathetic frown and placed a hand on her back to rub it reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, darling. I’ll protect you.” Luna’s kind words and wholesome intentions only served to fluster Ginny even more and the sight brought Edgar and Hermione into even greater fits of laughter. The entire debacle had pushed the prospect of danger far from Edgar’s mind and by the time they’d reached the greenhouse, he was simply looking forward to spending an hour hanging out with his friends and playing with magical plants. And that was precisely how it panned out.

\-----------------

The halls of Hogwarts filled with noise as students were released from their first classes of the day. Outside the castle walls, however, that ruckus was but a muffled rumbling drowned out by the chirping of birds and the swaying of leaves in the breeze.

“That was so cool,” Edgar exclaimed happily when they’d exited the greenhouse. “I didn’t know that plants could be that awesome!”

Ginny laughed and said, “Hey, ‘Mione, he’s starting to sound like Neville.”

“I have a feeling they’ll get along swimmingly,” Hermione said in rebuttal, throwing a smirk Edgar’s way.

“Neville… Isn’t that the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?” Hermione nodded at his question and shifted into what Edgar had begun subconsciously referring to as _explanation mode_.

“He was part of Dumbledore’s Army – a group of students who rose up and fought back in the war. Admittedly, Neville was one of the bravest and most strong-willed of us all. I’m certain that’s why McGonagall offered the role to him. Truthfully, though, he has a passion for Herbology. It’s only a matter of time before he ends up teaching _that_ class instead.”

“He just needs to get some better earmuffs first,” Luna chimed in dreamily, causing Ginny and Hermione to laugh and Edgar to look back at her with a confused expression. Mandrakes weren’t in the curriculum for the seventh-year class that Edgar shared with his friends so Hermione gladly filled him in. Soon he was joining in their laughter.

“We’ve got a free period now, Edgar,” Hermione noted. “Roughly an hour until the next class starts.” Behind them, Ginny had tugged Luna to a stop and pulled her in for a kiss. When they breathily broke away from one another, she called out to Edgar and Hermione.

“ _You two_ have a free period. Luna and I have…plans.” Hermione turned back to face the two of them and sighed when she saw Ginny’s smirk and Luna’s playful look. After sharing a glance, they scurried off down the hall.

“Those two, I swear. It’s like they can’t focus on anything but each other. I don’t know how on earth they’re going to pass their N.E.W.T.s when they’re this distracted.” As always, though, her chastising words were only thinly masking her amusement. Shaking her head, she turned back to Edgar and shrugged. “I guess _we_ have some free time then. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in spending it at the library?” The upward slope of her tone lightly hinted to a degree of hopefulness and it made Edgar smile.

“I’d be delighted,” he said, reaching his arm out and bending it at the elbow. Hermione looked down at it for a moment, bemused, before blushing lightly and looping her arm through it. Edgar hadn’t noticed as his attention was on the shifting staircases ahead, calculating the best way to get to the library.

“I think it might be a good idea for you to read up on the events of the war,” she said, hoping to distract herself from the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She felt silly about the effect that such a simple — _platonic_ — gesture was having on her and wanted to overcome it as quickly as possible.

“You think so?”

“Mmhmm,” she said, nodding. “The effects of what happened are still being felt to this day and it would be better for you to have at least a basic understanding. You’d feel less in the dark, that’s for sure.” She thought for a moment and blushed before adding, “Just take it all in carefully. You’ll likely learn more than you wanted to know about Ginny, Luna, and myself.” She briefly worried about the impact it might have on Edgar if he read up on all of their activities. Strangely, she felt concerned that he might be intimidated by her or their friends.

She certainly _hoped_ that wouldn’t be the case…

“Hey,” he said, coming to a stop and turning her to face him with their arms still linked. “You three are shaping up to be some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Nothing I read in a book is going to change my mind about that.” The soothing tone of his voice and the smile on his lips brought a calmness to her then and it was all she could do to nod and smile back at him beneath her reddening cheeks. Then they were back off toward the library.

\-----------------

Edgar closed the book slowly and stared at the cover with a look of disbelief.

 _A Brief Recount of The Second Wizarding War_.

What he’d just absorbed from the pages of that book was nothing short of astonishing. Had he not been experiencing magic himself firsthand for the better part of 48 hours, he might not have believed it at all. To think that any of the outlined events could have transpired at all — let alone right under the noses of the rest of the world — was preposterous. Of course, there had been some strange occurrences in the muggle world around that time, but it was the responsibility of the Ministry of Magic’s Muggle Liaison Office to ensure that those strange occurrences were tied to rational explanations.

Hermione’s nerves pricked up a bit as soon as Edgar had begun reading the book and she’d found it hard to focus on the tome that she had set out to peruse. Instead, all of her attention was on him, watching his every expression and trying to gauge his body language. She was trying to be inconspicuous, but that was a difficult feat for someone staring so intently.

Finally, Edgar looked up at her and let out a deep breath that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. She became noticeably flustered.

“Well?” she asked after a moment of silence. Edgar said nothing in reply; he just rose from his chair and began walking toward her, causing her anxiety to peak momentarily. Then he leaned down and wrapped his arms around her seated form, hugging her from behind the chair in which she sat.

“You’re so brave,” he said softly, squeezing her tighter. “A little foolish too, perhaps… But damn if nearly every person alive doesn’t owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Hermione couldn’t stop the tear that rolled down her cheek as happiness overwhelmed her. She reached up to place her hands on Edgar’s arms and allowed herself to melt back into his embrace. Of all the possible outcomes, this was one she hadn’t expected – but very much appreciated.

Words refused to come to her and after a few seconds of silent hugging, Edgar released her and straightened up. He took in a breath and headed back toward his chair, gathering up his belongings.

“We should probably start heading to Charms class,” he said when he was ready to go. Hermione finally seemed to snap out of her daze and got her stuff in order before rising from her seat. She turned away from Edgar to wipe the moist line from her cheek with the back of her hand and cleared her throat.

“Yes, we should. Come along.” Her arm raised out, bent at the elbow, and she cast a little smile at him over her shoulder. He returned it and linked his arm with hers, allowing her to lead him toward the exit.

They walked in comfortable silence, Edgar mulling over what he’d just learned about his new friend and Hermione doing her best to keep her composure. The trip was rather short and they arrived outside the door to the Charms classroom at the same time as Ginny and Luna.

The two girls looked flushed and slightly disheveled. Luna was breathing heavily and gazing off into the distance with a faraway expression.

“I hope you two had a _productive_ break,” Hermione said teasingly, smirking at Ginny.

“That’s one way to put it,” Ginny replied. Her eyes flitted down to their linked arms and when she looked back up at Hermione, she arched an eyebrow and smirked just a bit. Hermione blushed, jerked her arm away from Edgar’s, and cleared her throat again.

“Let’s head in. We’re early enough that we should be able to get some good seats,” she said, pushing the door open. The other three followed her inside. Hermione took a seat at the desk nearest the front of the room and Edgar plopped down beside her. Luna and Ginny took up a position at the table behind them.

“I’m excited,” Hermione said, her giddy tone returning. Edgar merely chuckled as he fished his supplies out of his bag, setting out a notebook, a quill, and a small leather pouch that contained a small assortment of components.

“Won’t it be kind of strange for everyone else in class to watch me putting together some contraption? What about the professor?”

Hermione shook her head and said, “All of your professors already know to expect that sort of…strangeness from you. As for your classmates, I wouldn’t worry about them. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll focus on their spellcasting.”

Ginny chuckled from behind them and shook her head, knowing that _focusing on their spellcasting_ was the last thing their classmates would be doing as soon as Edgar started tinkering. Over the next five minutes, students clambered into the classroom and got themselves situated and the noise level gradually increased. Finally, Professor Flitwick emerged, hobbling toward the front of the room.

“All right, students. Everyone settle down.” When he reached his desk, he climbed up a stepladder to stand atop it, looking out over the sea of pupils. “I hope you all had a pleasant summer. Now, though, it’s back to work! Some of you are here this year to get your N.E.W.T.s and some of you are here because you just love Charms. No matter the case, I assure you that we’ll be learning some wonderful spells.”

His eyes scanned the crowd as he spoke. As it was a seventh-year class, he was familiar with nearly all of the faces. When his gaze reached Edgar, however, he paused and took in the sight of the boy. Then he nodded and continued.

“No point in wasting time; everyone get out your textbooks. We’re going to be practicing the water-making spell today.” The classroom was filled with shuffling sounds as the students procured their books and flipped through the pages. Hermione looked over at Edgar with a smile, clearly anxious to see him work. Edgar gave her a meek look in return, starting to feel a little nervous.

“This spell has a very simple incantation.” The small man drew his wand from his coat pocket and pointed it at a chalice resting near the edge of his desk. He waggled it back and forth for a moment as he muttered the spell softly. “ _Aguamenti_.” A jet of water gushed forth from the tip of the wand and flowed through the air directly into the chalice. When the cup was nearly full, he halted the jet and looked back up at his students. “Control is important here. I expect a great deal of splashing today, but let’s try not to turn the classroom into a lake, shall we? Very good.” He turned and flicked his wand at the corner of the room and dozens of goblets floated up and through the air, each one landing on a different desk until every student had one. “Begin!”

Everyone in the room was motionless, as though waiting for someone else to make the first move. Everyone except Hermione Granger, of course, who immediately pointed her wand at the goblet before her and spoke the incantation clearly. Edgar watched as a small stream of water poured from her wand and filled up the goblet. Her actions carried the grace and elegance of a seasoned expert. The sight was captivating and it wasn’t until the water stopped and Hermione looked over at him with a smile that he jolted back to reality and stared down at his goblet.

Once Hermione had finished her _demonstration_ , the rest of the students followed suit in practicing the new spell. Luna and Ginny hadn’t even pulled their wands out yet, however, and their eyes were locked on the desk in front of Edgar, anxiously waiting to see what he’d do. It was the same intense curiosity that their professor possessed as well. While he wasn’t aware of all the attention he was drawing, he was nevertheless nervous and he found himself closing his eyes to think more clearly.

‘ _How can I make water materialize from thin air?_ ’ he thought to himself, wracking his brain. It seemed like an impossible task…but then again, students were defying that notion only a few feet away from him. ‘ _I may as well just get to building something… No better place to start than from the beginning…_ ’

When he opened his eyes, they flitted down to the sack full of components resting on his desktop. He pulled it closer and reached in, plucking out a few items; a spring, a lever, a small pipe… Then he reached down into his bag and withdrew a rolled-up pouch of tools, unclasping it and allowing it to unravel out before him. Before he knew it, he’d entered a sort of trance, meticulously sliding tools out of their spots and piecing together various elements. He seemed oblivious to the subtle glow emanating from both his invention and his hands while he tinkered. His rapidly growing audience certainly noticed, however, and it only served to heighten everyone’s curiosity.

What was once an extraneous pile of metal components soon became a makeshift toy gun with a tuning dial on one side. The entire process had taken no more than five minutes and as he applied his finishing touches, the mysterious glowing ceased completely. With a great sigh, he slumped back in his chair and gazed upon his completed gadget.

It was then that he finally became aware of his surroundings once more. The very first thing he noticed was Hermione’s flagrant stare, her eyes flicking back and forth between him and the fruits of his labor.

“Well?” came an almost agitated voice from the front of the room. Edgar looked up to see Professor Flitwick giving him the same sort of dumbstruck expression that his friend wore. “What does it do?”

Edgar’s cheeks were beet red as he reached out to pick up the toy gun, closing his hand around the improvised grip and feeling the weight of the thing. Then with a quick uncertain look up at his professor, he aimed the device at the goblet before him. He took in a deep breath…and squeezed the trigger.

A light stream — nearly identical to the one that Hermione had produced — burst forth from the barrel of the gun and splashed into the cup. It was certainly less elegant and the amount of control that Edgar possessed over the flow of water was next to none. But it functioned precisely how one might expect and as simple as the contraption was, it still elicited a few gasps from his friends and a few of the students who had long since stopped paying any attention to their assignments.

When he released the trigger, he looked back up at his professor, who shook his head in disbelief and muttered, “Incredible… I’ve never seen anything like it…” Students throughout the classroom began mumbling and chattering amongst themselves excitedly.

“Edgar…” He turned toward Hermione’s voice and blushed when he saw her wide grin. “This is bloody brilliant! May I…?” She reached out with an open palm and Edgar sheepishly handed over the magical water gun, watching as she turned it over in her hands to inspect it more closely. With a curious expression, she grabbed the tuning dial and turned it just a bit, then aimed at Edgar’s goblet and pulled the trigger. A much larger spray of water erupted from the tiny toy and sloshed out against the cup, promptly knocking it to the floor and splattering a portion of the desk. She yelped apologetically and handed the gun back to Edgar, holding it daintily by the barrel between her thumb and forefinger. Edgar couldn’t help but chuckle a little as he took it from her.

“I…” He paused and blushed, searching for the right words. “I guess you were right. I really can do this… And all I had to do was… _will it to happen_.” He stared down at the gun, then looked back into Hermione’s eyes. She said nothing, still smiling at him. After a beat, she turned toward the front of the room.

“Professor? Would you kindly excuse us?” Filius nodded emphatically and waved a hand halfheartedly at the two of them, still reeling from the sight he’d beheld. Hermione nudged Edgar with her elbow and began packing up her belongings, wordlessly hinting that he should do the same.

“Come on,” she said as she stood up. “We’ve got some research to do.”

\-----------------


	4. Dissonance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgar learns more about his gift and Hermione has an existential crisis.

Edgar and Hermione spent the entire rest of the class period studying his new invention in the library, trying to glean any additional information from it that they could. Or, at least, _Hermione_ was. Edgar was still recovering from his epiphany.

‘ _I just need to **will** spells into my inventions…_’

He thought the process would have been more complicated than that — that he might need to perform some sort of ritual. Make a blood sacrifice or something. Well…maybe not _that_ extreme, but he certainly hadn’t expected it to be so _simple_. Of course, as he was learning from Hermione, it seemed there was more to it.

“It’s truly brilliant,” she said, for perhaps the eighth time in an hour. “The invention and the spell… They’re one with each other.” She looked up at him excitedly and asked, “Have you ever broken one of your gadgets before?” Edgar thought for a moment and shook his head.

“No, I usually take pretty good care of them. If I’m being honest, most of them don’t get much use. I just put them together, toy with them for a little while, and then stow them away for safe-keeping. Don’t get me wrong, they’re fun and all. But up until this point, they haven’t been especially _useful_. Maybe now that I know I can use magic, I can devise something actually _beneficial_.” He gave a small chuckle and sat down in the seat next to Hermione, grabbing his invention back from her and looking over it.

“It’s funny,” he said aloud. “When I’m building these things, I don’t even really think about it. It’s like it’s… _instinctive_ or something. I just get this image in my head and my hands start to move — almost on their own. Then I kind of…space out. And before I know what’s going on, there’s a little gadget in front of me.” A puzzled, almost worried look overcame him then and he turned toward Hermione. “Is that weird? I feel like that’s probably weird…” Suddenly he felt very self-conscious.

Hermione lightly laughed and shook her head.

“It’s not weird, Edgar. You have a _gift_ , that’s all. Most people — myself included — would be delighted to have that kind of skill.” She gave him a warm smile and it brought a bit of red to his cheeks. Then he broke out in a smirk of his own. Satisfied that she’d helped set his mind at ease, she cleared her throat and turned back to the book that was open on the table before her.

“According to this, there have been a handful of occurrences in the past where witches and wizards have been able to do truly spectacular things that were previously unheard of. Eventually, those abilities became more common over time and are given whole classifications of their own. One such example is Metamorphmagi.”

Back in _explanation mode_ , she noted, “Metamorphmagi are capable of changing their physical appearance at will. However, it’s a skill that one acquires at birth and can’t be learned.” She locked eyes with Edgar and continued. “Edgar, it’s possible that you’re the first user of an entirely new classification of magic. Or perhaps your abilities are one of a kind. In any case, I think this might be helpful.” She closed the book and slid it across the table toward him. It was titled _Curious Cases in Wizarding History_. As he reached for it, she placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it reassuringly.

“You shouldn’t worry, Edgar. I know this is all so new and overwhelming to you, but you’re not alone. I’m here for you. Luna and Ginny, too.” Edgar’s expression softened further and he reached up to place a hand over hers, patting it graciously.

“Thanks, Hermione. You’re a pretty great friend, you know that?”

It was Hermione’s turn to blush and she nodded in reply, giggling and saying, “You’re bloody right about that. And don’t you forget it!” She squeezed his arm once more before a look of realization seemed to wash over her. Then, she quickly slid her hand out from beneath Edgar’s and retracted it as though she’d been touching a hot stove, looking down at the floor and clearing her throat again.

“We should probably get going. Class will be letting out soon and we’ve got lunch next.” She gathered her things and waited for Edgar to do the same, purposefully avoiding his gaze. When he was ready, they headed off down the halls together — though it was clear that the atmosphere between them had shifted substantially.

\-----------------

Hermione was distracted all through lunch. While she did everything she could to focus on the conversations at hand, she was _clearly_ preoccupied and it didn’t slip past Ginny. Bloody hell, _nothing_ slipped past Ginny. And the fact that she was wearing that same smirk she always seemed to be wearing lately certainly didn’t help.

She let out a sigh as a blush filled her cheeks and she gazed back down at the plate in front of her — more than anything just so she didn’t have to see Ginny’s expression anymore. The truth was that Edgar had been at the forefront of her thoughts ever since she’d first met him at King’s Cross Station. He was so passionate, excitable, eager, and intelligent… All traits that were magnetizing to anyone, but _especially_ her. Not to mention his raw talent and the potential he possessed…

There were two problems, however, and one of them was the position McGonagall had put her in. She was to be a mentor to Edgar — a sort of liaison to his entrance into the wizarding world. In a sense, she had a responsibility to keep things between them strictly _professional_. The way she was getting so flustered about him… That was strictly off-limits…right?

Regardless, the second problem was that _she was_ _in a relationship_. Things hadn’t exactly been _stellar_ since Ron had gone off to become an Auror. Hermione had _insisted_ that he and Harry come back to Hogwarts with her to take their N.E.W.T.s. However, after their contributions in the Second Wizarding War, the Ministry of Magic had offered them official positions to help clean up the last of Voldemort’s mess. Of course, Hermione was _proud_ of them for what they were doing, but… Her relationship with Ron had only just begun to take off, and now he was gone. Luna had been right when she’d pointed out that this was shaping up to be a lonely school year without Ron around.

Of course, nothing inappropriate had happened and she had no reason to feel as guilty as she did. Though…perhaps it was less about what _had_ happened and more about what she would have _liked_ to happen…

She gave another sigh and pushed her plate away, standing and waving a meek goodbye to her friends.

“I’ll see you girls in Muggle Studies. Have fun in Flying class, Edgar.” Without waiting for any sort of response, she quickly strode toward the grand doors leading out of the Great Hall. Ginny rolled her eyes, planted a kiss on Luna’s cheek, and hopped up to chase after her — leaving Luna and Edgar alone together. She didn’t catch up with Hermione until they were both well down the corridor.

“Hey, ‘Mione,” she said, grabbing at Hermione’s arm. Hermione seemed to snap out of her daze and blushed when she saw Ginny, letting out a small squeak before coming to a stop. “Something is up with you… Talk to me.” Despite all of Ginny’s teasing, she still cared deeply for her friend and the look of genuine concern on her face conveyed that clearly.

Hermione struggled to meet her gaze at first, but when she finally did, she said, “It’s…nothing.” Her blush intensified and she looked back down at her feet.

Ginny rolled her eyes and said, “Oh please, Hermione; for the smartest witch I know, you’re terrible at deceiving people.” She grabbed Hermione’s hand and pulled her further down the corridor, heading toward the Gryffindor Common Room. “Let’s go. One way or another, I’ll get you to talk…” Her tone was playfully ominous and even in her flustered state, Hermione couldn’t help but smirk a little.

\-----------------

Edgar and Luna had shared a pleasant enough conversation over lunch together after their two friends scampered off. One thing he was starting to learn about Luna was her proclivity for the odd and unknown. She seemed just as fascinated by his gift as Hermione, but more so _because_ it was previously unheard of. She’d alluded to Wrackspurts, noting that very few people were aware of them and the few that _were_ wrote them off as poppycock.

Truthfully, Edgar hadn’t yet learned about much of _anything_ in the wizarding world, so he was more than happy to allow Luna to educate him on the dangers of Wrackspurts. He regretted that decision almost immediately after, however. Imagining tiny, invisible creatures floating into your ears wasn’t exactly conducive for learning, so Edgar decided to excuse himself, hoping a walk would help clear his head — along with any Wrackspurts that might have been floating around in it.

Eventually, his thoughts shifted to Hermione. The way she’d acted earlier had been a little strange… He got the sense that he might have done something to bother her and he hoped he’d be able to make it up to her somehow. After all, she was his best friend at Hogwarts — and likely _in general_. It would be horrible to think that he’d be able to do something to drive an irreparable spike through that friendship.

‘ _Whatever it was, she can’t hate you **too** much._’ Edgar rolled his eyes at the condescending voice in the back of his head. It was the kind of voice that was always just… _there_ and was usually ignored. Lately, it had begun surfacing more than he might otherwise have liked. ‘ _I’m just an extension of your subconscious, that’s all. You only have yourself to blame, buddy._ ’

He was so lost in thought — and berating his nuisance of an internal monologue — that he practically ran into Rolanda Hooch as he rounded the corner to enter the courtyard.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Professor!” He blushed and took a few steps back. She simply laughed and waved her hand dismissively.

“Fret not, my boy. And you may call me Madam Hooch.” She stopped after a moment before reaching to slide her goggles up on her forehead and look at him a little closer. “Oh dear. Are you the new American student? Edgar something or other?”

His blush deepened and he nodded timidly, saying, “Tyllian. Edgar Tyllian. That would be me.”

“Ahh,” she said firmly, giving him a quick once-over. “Well, I’m your Flying instructor. I’ve been told to give you the same treatment I give all the first-year students, but something tells me you’ll be a little easier to teach. Come come, now. May as well get a headstart while you’re early.” She placed a hand on his back and led him out into the courtyard.

\-----------------

Despite her best attempts, Ginny couldn’t get Hermione to talk. It’s not as though she _needed_ to talk for Ginny to see what was going on, however. There was only one other time that Ginny could recall Hermione acting the way she had been lately and that was amidst the Triwizard Tournament. Between the obsession with Victor Krum and the silly drama with Ron, it hadn’t been the first time Ginny had witnessed the lovestruck side of Hermione. Hell, before she started dating Harry, Ginny — and just about _everyone else_ — swore that Hermione would end up with him.

Nevertheless, like the majority of her struggles, Hermione made it clear that she wanted to work through this on her own — much to Ginny’s chagrin. Based on what Ginny could see, “working through” the dilemma meant brooding in class and missing nearly every one of the questions that the professor had issued to the class. Had Mary Cattermole been teaching at Hogwarts for more than a single day, she might have been _shocked_ by Hermione’s lack of participation. Ginny later mused that Professor Cattermole’s first day on the job was likely made more palatable thanks to Hermione’s internal quandary.

She carried on much the same way in Divination class as well. When their day had finally concluded, Hermione excused herself back to the Gryffindor Common Room and quickly scurried off ahead of her two companions. It was then that Luna seemed to notice that something was especially off.

“Have the Nargles gotten to her?” she asked Ginny as she reached for her hand and interlaced their fingers. Ginny smirked and gave a small snort.

“Something like that, love.”

\-----------------

By the end of Flying class, Edgar had riveting news that he couldn’t wait to share — and he still had to endure another class followed by three hours before dinner. He was practically shaking with excitement as he sat in the Great Hall, waiting for his friends to arrive. After what felt like an eternity, he finally saw Ginny and Luna round the corner and he giddily hopped up and waved frantically to get their attention. Luna laughed at his goofy behavior and Ginny cracked a smile too.

“Guys,” he started eagerly as they drew near and slid into their seats. “You’ll never believe what happened.” Ginny arched an eyebrow and Luna rested her elbows on the tabletop, propping her chin on her palms and gazing at him. Edgar wiggled in his seat and cleared his throat.

“So Madam Hooch and I were both worried about what might happen if I tried riding a broom the conventional way. They’re already enchanted to be able to fly, but…my magic is weird, you know?” The two girls nodded in agreement. “So she figured it might be best if I used a broom that _hadn’t_ been enchanted — that I could…I dunno…slap on some gadgets and make it fly somehow.” His eyes lit up as he continued.

“When I picked it up and started thinking about how I could get it to fly, it started glowing in my hands! At first, Madam Hooch was a little freaked out — and so was I. But I started thinking back to Charms class and…well, I just had this _feeling_. So I got on…and it started hovering in the air!” Both Ginny and Luna shared a look of surprise and intrigue at that. “I crashed almost immediately, but that much was to be expected. I’m not sure I’m exactly cut out for flying, but that’s not the point!”

He reached out and grabbed a fork off of the table, holding it in the air and gripping it lengthwise in both of his hands. His eyes closed shut and he thought hard for a moment before both his fists lit aglow. The emanating light gradually shifted to the utensil and after a few seconds, he let go of it completely. It hovered in the air, unsupported by anything.

“Woah,” Ginny said, marveling at the display. Luna’s eyes twinkled as she observed the events unfolding before them.

“I think my gift extends beyond just _inventing_. As far as I can tell, though, any magic I imbue in an object dissipates if I didn’t _personally_ manufacture it.” The fork maintained its suspended position for a few moments before it began to shudder — almost imperceptibly at first and gradually becoming more rigorous — and eventually clattered back down to the table. “We practiced my flying for a little bit before the first-year students showed up and I got the sense that _physical contact_ is the key. As long as I was directly _touching_ the broom, it was able to fly. It only stopped when I let go.”

He picked the fork back up and balanced it on the tip of his finger. That same blue energy flowed forth and it appeared to stand perfectly upright atop Edgar’s extended digit.

“Bloody hell… That’s fascinating,” Ginny said as Luna gleefully admired the situation. “It’s a shame Hermione’s being so daft at the moment. She’d be thrilled by all this.”

Edgar scrunched up his nose and pulled his hand away, letting the fork’s abilities taper out and cease completely once more. He’d been so excited by his news that he only just then seemed to notice that Hermione wasn’t around.

“What’s up with her?”

Ginny glanced away for a moment, then back at Edgar.

“Uhm… She’s just…” She couldn’t think of what to say. “She’s got a lot on her mind, that’s all.” Hoping that answer would be satisfactory, she grabbed some food and began to eat. Edgar wasn’t entirely pleased with the way she’d dodged his question.

‘ _She’s probably still upset with you._ ’

Edgar stifled a groan and pushed his glasses up on his nose. He hoped the condescending voice wasn’t right… But seeing as Ginny didn’t know — or didn’t want to _talk_ about — what was up with Hermione, there wasn’t much he could do about it. So he gave the still-captivated Luna a forced smile and shifted his attention to the food before him.

He’d been hopeful that Hermione would show up for dinner at some point, but she never did. Ginny and Luna eventually excused themselves, bidding Edgar a good evening and promising to see him in class the following morning. That left him alone with nothing but his thoughts…and his budding anxiety. For the remainder of the evening, he tried to distract himself with the books in his dormitory but found it difficult to focus on retaining any of the information he was taking in. Eventually, he gave up entirely and fell into bed, hoping to just sleep it all off. After nearly an hour of restless tossing and turning, he realized that wouldn’t be a viable option either. In a huff, he climbed out of bed and strode over to his workbench.

If there was one thing that would help take his mind off of his sorrows, it was tinkering.

\-----------------

Hermione’s evening hadn’t been much better. When it finally occurred to her just how much her thoughts had been distracting her, she’d been overcome with embarrassment. 

Since she’d come back to effectively _retake_ her seventh year at Hogwarts, she’d joined Ginny’s group and the dormitory in which they were staying had been magically expanded to fit one additional student. Under any _other_ circumstances, Hermione would be relishing having Ginny as her roommate. Under the _current_ circumstances, though, it was _terribly_ inconvenient.

She knew that if she spent any time at all around Ginny in her present state, her friend would likely take great pleasure in teasing her. As such, it seemed like the best decision would be to avoid her at all costs. To Hermione, that meant holing herself up in her four-poster bed and securing the curtains closed with magic to create a sort of impromptu prison cell. Of course…isolating herself only led to loneliness, hunger, and _boredom_ — three states of mind that served to further hone her focus on the tribulation at hand.

And so she tried to work it all out on her own.

She didn’t know how exactly she felt about Edgar. Sure, he was gifted…and quite adorable, if she was being honest with herself. It was clear that she fancied him, but it seemed more than a little premature to think that she might be _falling_ for him. _Bloody hell_ , it hadn’t even been forty-eight hours yet. Furthermore, even if she _were_ feeling that sort of way about him, there was the _Ronald Weasley_ of it all. He hadn’t exactly been the most _spectacular_ boyfriend, but that didn’t mean she could simply toss him aside when someone new came along…

…did it?

It was precisely that sort of circular thinking that kept _her_ awake for the bulk of the night as well. She eventually managed to get some sleep, but certainly not as much as she might have liked. When morning came, it was accompanied by a rumbling in her stomach that not-so-subtly informed her she was due for a healthy meal — whether or not that meant facing Edgar and Ginny.

She pulled the curtains back and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Ginny had already gotten up and vacated the dorm. Hopping out of bed, she began to get ready for the day, taking her time in the process. Then, she nervously made her way to the Great Hall.

\-----------------

Ginny was worried about Hermione. She thought they might get a bit of dish-time when she got back to their room the night before, but Hermione had been all closed-up in her bed and the message was pretty clear. She knew her friend pretty well; if Hermione needed space, it was best just to give it to her. Forcing the issue would likely only make things worse and the last thing Ginny wanted to do was prolong the matter at hand.

So it came as a surprise to her when she saw Hermione stride around the corner and enter the Great Hall the following morning. She seemed… _neutral_. Not upset, but not her typical jovial self either.

That seemed like a nominal improvement if nothing else.

“Good morning, everyone,” she said quietly as she took her seat next to Edgar, avoiding eye contact with him and Ginny.

Edgar’s eyes widened when he became aware of her presence and he took a moment to keep himself from choking on his food.

After Hermione’s three friends muttered their greetings back to her, an almost awkward silence fell over them. Luna didn’t particularly have much stake in the matter, but she could at least recognize the tension in the air. So when she finally broke the silence, it was to discuss quidditch practice with Ginny, who’d taken over the role of captain on the Gryffindor team and would be leading the first practice of the school year later on in the afternoon. Hermione seemed to tune into the discussion, though she kept her attention primarily on Luna.

Edgar was grateful for the distraction because it allowed him to fish a small scrap of parchment out of his bag. While his three companions discussed a sport that he was neither aware of nor familiar with, he began folding the parchment in very distinct, purposeful ways. He was far from an origami aficionado, but he’d always been fascinated by the intricacy of paper cranes. Soon, he’d replicated the same cute little bird he’d practiced so many times before.

He scooted an inch or two away from Hermione — an action that got her attention — and then lowered his hand down near the bench in the space between them, the crane resting atop his open palm. Hermione glanced down at the little paper creation and couldn’t help the tiny smile that began to form on her lips. Her smile shifted to a look of amazement as Edgar’s hand began to glow. Before long, the crane followed suit.

And then it came to life.

It flapped its little wings and kicked out its paper legs, then looked up at Hermione and opened its mouth as though it were squawking at her. Hermione’s smile returned — even wider this time — as it began to dance around goofily on Edgar’s palm, doing a clumsy sort of can-can. Then it hopped from Edgar’s hand and slid across the bench, strutting toward Hermione with the panache of a seductive jazz singer. She laughed as it waggled its hips and gave one final kick before slumping back lifelessly onto the bench on its side.

Hermione bit her lip softly as her eyes flicked up to meet Edgar’s and she broke out in a wide smile. Edgar returned it happily, blushing lightly and feeling an almost overwhelming sense of relief. She reached over to drop her hand onto Edgar’s and squeeze it briefly. Then she released it and turned back to her food, her demeanor shifting dramatically for the better.

There was no condescending voice at the back of Edgar’s mind when he shifted his attention to his meal as well. Only sheer delight.

From her spot across the table, Ginny had seen the entire exchange. Even she couldn’t combat the smile forming on her lips.

\-----------------


	5. Cloak-and-Dagger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgar makes a new friend and an ominous new player enters the fray.

Once Hermione’s turmoil had been momentarily quelled, a sort of calm overcame the group and all four of them returned to a comfortable state of relative normalcy — if such a thing could be achieved after only three days of _being_ a group. Edgar and Hermione resumed their playful banter and Ginny resumed subtly admiring it.

She’d had some time to think about the whole situation when Hermione isolated herself and it had given her a bit of clarity. Part of her felt a sisterly obligation to be miffed at Hermione’s very obvious crush on Edgar and the repercussions that it might have on Hermione’s relationship with Ron. However, another part of her — a much larger one, at that — was overjoyed to see Hermione in such a gleeful and carefree state. After everything that had happened in the Second Wizarding War and all of the insanity that Hermione had to endure, Ginny felt it was only fair for her friend to have a moment of peace — to get back to living a relatively _normal_ life and leave the chaos in the past.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but feel guilty in rooting for Edgar to help facilitate that.

More importantly, however, was Quidditch practice. Even if she’d wanted to make a fuss about Hermione’s crush on Edgar, she would be leading the first practice match of the school year in less than ten hours and she needed to focus. Ginny had taken up the mantle as Quidditch Captain of the Gryffindor team after Harry’s departure and she was determined to lead her teammates to victory. Everyone on the team knew that her Quidditch skills were mostly unparalleled amongst the other Hogwarts students. Ginny had also proven herself to be a capable leader and there had been no doubt in McGonagall’s mind that she’d do great things in the role of Captain.

When Edgar had insisted that sports just weren’t his thing, Ginny had rolled her eyes so far back in her head that she could have sworn she’d caught a glimpse of her brain. Luna had even tried her hardest to convince him that Quidditch was worth getting excited about, but he’d only shrugged and nonchalantly noted that he’d check it out “ _at some point_.” Hermione had only laughed.

History of Magic had gone by relatively uneventfully since the class focused more on studying events from textbooks rather than the practical application of magic. Afterward, however, all four friends had a free period and they’d opted to spend it walking around the school grounds.

“I just don’t get the whole _houses_ schtick, that’s all,” Edgar said with a shrug, kicking at a nearby rock on the beaten path and shoving his hands into his robe pockets. “Sure, there’s some _friendly competition_ associated with it, but it seems like it just breeds animosity, you know? Not to mention the expectations that come along with being sorted into a particular house. Seems like everyone assumes Slytherin folks are evil just because of a handful of rotten apples in the past. But I’m sure you wouldn’t be hard-pressed to find some grade-A jerks in some of the other houses too.”

From her place walking on the path behind Edgar and Hermione, Luna opened her mouth to rebut, but Ginny reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling and shaking her head. No sooner had she pointed to Hermione than the girl entered into _explanation mode_.

“It’s not just about the friendly competition and has a lot more to do with the personalities of the students at Hogwarts. You might consider it to be stereotyping — and you wouldn’t be wrong — but our mindsets and character traits have a lot to do with where we’re placed.” She cleared her throat and began speaking as though she were reciting from a textbook.

“When the four founding members of Hogwarts established the four houses, they did so because they had a particular student in mind that they wanted to teach. Ravenclaw wanted the brightest, Gryffindor wanted the bravest, Slytherin wanted the most ambitious, and…well…Hufflepuff was just happy to mold young minds. As Hogwarts matured over time, the houses shifted into a sort of socialization utility. We’re all so young when we arrive here — or, at least, _most of us_ are — so it might be overwhelming to get tossed in with hundreds of other students of varying ages. With the houses in place, you get a smaller sampling of the student body in a more controlled environment and it’s supposed to be less overwhelming.”

When she finished, a small silence fell over the four of them. Then Ginny, Luna, and Edgar all started to laugh, causing Hermione’s cheeks to burn. When that only intensified their laughter further, she simply rolled her eyes and waved a hand dismissively.

“You lot are helpless,” she said, despite the smirk forming on her lips. The laughter grew even louder and uproarious.

\-----------------

After their free period, the three girls said their goodbyes to Edgar and headed off to Ancient Runes with one another. Edgar went on his own to Transfiguration class.

‘ _Another class without your friends, surrounded by young children. This is gonna be riveting._ ’ Edgar sighed at his internal voice and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. ‘ _You know I’m right, though. Let’s not kid ourselves; you’d be off in a corner smooching with the brunette if she’d give you the chance._ ’ A blush formed on Edgar’s cheeks and his hand tightened on the shoulder strap of his bag. The voice _did_ have a point, as much as he wouldn’t like to admit it.

When he pushed the doors to the classroom, he let out a small sigh. The desks were barren and there was very little in the way of magic paraphernalia strewn about. If his first day at Hogwarts had taught him anything, it was that such a classroom environment typically meant a lot of wandwork. Which meant he’d be a spectacle once more — only this time he wouldn’t have his friends around. As much as he liked the attention of Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, he wasn’t so keen on having a bunch of other students staring at him like an exhibit at the zoo. Nevertheless, he could hardly pass up an opportunity to learn more magic and he was certain that Hermione would be thrilled to see whatever he came up with.

He flopped down in a chair at the desk nearest the front of the classroom and began setting out his tinkering supplies. Soon the classroom began filling with students, most of whom sat in pairs or near friends they’d already made. Edgar recognized some of the faces from a few of the other classes he was taking on his own. One of them looked peculiar, however; a ruffle-haired little Hufflepuff boy. He timidly walked into the room and looked around for a free spot. Most of the other seats had been taken and one of the few free ones left was the chair right next to Edgar. That was precisely where he ended up.

“Hi there,” he said with a cheery smile, dropping his bookbag clumsily onto the table and reaching his hand toward Edgar. “My name’s Leonard.”

Edgar chuckled as he shook the boy’s hand and replied, “Edgar Tyllian. Nice to meet you, Leonard.” It felt silly to him being so cordial with such a young boy, but proper manners knew no bounds. Leonard kept smiling and shaking far longer than Edgar would have liked and eventually he was forced to extricate his hand.

“I remember seeing you in Ancient Runes yesterday, but you seemed pretty distracted.”

Edgar let out a genuine laugh at that, nodding and saying, “Yeah, I wasn’t very present for that class.” He blushed and backpedaled a little. “Erm… That’s not to say that I didn’t find it interesting or anything! I was just-“

Leonard just giggled and plopped down in his chair.

“You don’t have to worry. I know you’re a smart guy. People have been talking about you and it seems like you’re pretty special.” There was a look of fascination in Leonard’s eyes as he spoke. “I guess the one upside is that nobody can cheat off of you, huh?”

Edgar laughed again and smiled widely. For a little kid, Leonard had a good sense of humor. Maybe he wouldn’t be such a bad companion in place of the girls.

‘ _He’s not nearly as fun to look at,_ ’ came the voice in his head, forcing Edgar to stop laughing and start blushing instead. Fortunately, that was right when Cornelius Fudge strode in.

“Good morning class. Everyone take your seats and settle down.” He waltzed to the front of the room, then turned on his heels to face the young students. “Now then. I am Professor Fudge. A lot of you don’t know who I am. Those of you who do might recognize me as the previous Minister of Magic. This is my first year teaching at Hogwarts, but I think you’ll find I’m just as skilled a practitioner of Transfiguration as any. Now…let’s talk about that word; _Transfiguration_. Who can tell me what it means?”

Leonard’s hand shot into the air and the professor’s attention was directed toward him.

“Yes, Mr. Clayborn?”

Edgar’s brow furrowed and he looked from his professor to his new friend. He was sure that the staff at Hogwarts had some prior knowledge of the students at the school — not to mention the Sorting Ceremony — but the offhand way in which Cornelius Fudge had used Leonard’s last name felt more familiar than that. Neither of them seemed to notice Edgar’s befuddlement, however.

“Well,” Leonard started, lowering his hand and putting on an expression of faraway thought. “It kind of sounds like the word _transformation_ and I bet it has something to do with that.”

Professor Fudge clapped his hands together and beamed.

“That’s _precisely_ right. _Transfiguration_ is the school of magic that pertains to the changing of objects from one form to another.” He then launched into a very _obviously_ well-rehearsed speech regarding Transfiguration and its basis.

Edgar leaned over in his chair and nudged Leonard with his elbow, giving him a supportive thumbs up. Leonard smiled in reply and folded his hands together, wiggling happily in his chair.

\-----------------

“I made a new friend in Transfiguration today,” Edgar said with a wide smile.

“Trying to replace us already, I see,” Ginny replied teasingly, plopping down with her hand interlaced with Luna’s. Hermione laughed next to Edgar and shook her head.

“Honestly, I’m delighted to hear that. I was worried that you’d be all alone in your first-year classes.” She grabbed at some of the food on the table in front of them and absentmindedly picked at it with her attention solely on Edgar. “Tell us about this new friend of yours!”

“Well,” Edgar started between mouthfuls of food. “He’s a Hufflepuff student. His name is Leonard Clayborn. A cute kid who seems pretty bright. We didn’t get a ton of time to chat between the lessons, but we got along just fine! I don’t imagine us hanging out or anything like that, but it’ll at least be nice to have a friendly face around when you three are off on your own.”

Luna’s head cocked to the side at the mention of the boy’s name, but she stayed quiet and her three friends didn’t seem to notice.

“Also, I made this.” Edgar reached into his bag and pulled out his latest invention. It wasn’t particularly flashy — just a box only slightly larger than the palm of his hand with a button on the side. He placed it on the table and opened up the lid, then grabbed a drumstick off of a nearby platter and dropped it inside. Once the lid was closed, he pressed the button and the entire contraption jiggled and emitted a faint buzzing sound. After a moment, it stopped. When he opened up the lid and withdrew the box’s contents, the drumstick had been turned into a shimmering glass goblet.

Hermione beamed and Luna — who had been pulled from her trance by the magical display — made an awed sound and clapped her hands together softly.

“It’s…not quite as useful as the water gun. But I guess with both of them together, I’ve got clean drinking water whenever I want.” He chuckled and shrugged, setting the goblet down and stowing the box back into his bag. Hermione shook her head and sat up straighter.

“Edgar, I don’t think you realize how impressive that truly is. The spell that your classmates were learning specifically pertains to turning _animals_ into goblets. Assuming that your gadget isn’t specifically designed for the transformation of _cooked chicken_ , that’s no small feat you’ve accomplished. Transfiguration is a fickle art form, difficult to perform well even for the most talented witches and wizards.”

Edgar blushed beneath Hermione’s compliments, saying, “I guess that explains why Professor Fudge was so flustered…”

Ginny burst into laughter then.

“ _Professor Fudge_! It sounds so _ridiculous_ , doesn’t it?” Luna and Hermione both laughed and nodded along with her. “I can’t believe they let him teach here after everything that happened with that sod _Umbridge_.” Ginny locked eyes with Edgar and asked, “What was his class like? Is he as inept a teacher as he was a Minister of Magic?” Luna placed a hand on Ginny’s arm then and rubbed softly.

“That’s enough, Gin. Leave Edgar be. We’ll get to see for ourselves just how horrid a professor he is next period.” Ginny relented and turned toward Luna to lock lips with her. Hermione blushed at the sight and looked quickly back down at her food. Edgar simply chuckled at their banter and turned to face Hermione once more.

“Speaking of next period, I know I’ll be on my own for Potions, but I saw that you and I have Arithmancy together after that…without Luna and Ginny.” Hermione looked up at Edgar and gave an affirmative hum.

“Those two aren’t interested in math or numbers — even in a magical sense. I love it, however, and I figured it would be something that you might enjoy! If you’re not into it after today’s class, though –“

“No, no! It sounds awesome! I’ve always been a fan of math. _Magical_ math should be even better!” He cracked a smile at Hermione and she returned it, blushing even more and turning back toward her food.

Luna and Ginny finally broke away from one another and the latter rose to her feet suddenly.

“See you in Transfiguration, ‘Mione. Luna and I have something to take care of before class. Later, Edgar!” Luna smiled and waved goodbye as she allowed Ginny to tug her out of the Great Hall. Hermione scoffed and Edgar began chuckling, but both merely returned to their meal. It was evident to both of them that they were growing more comfortable with the two girls’ antics — though for better or worse neither could be certain.

\-----------------

Edgar grinned widely as he entered the Potions classroom, marveling at the various alchemical tools strewn about the dungeon. Alchemy had always been a concept that intrigued him — long before he ever even knew that magic was _real_ — and learning that there was an entire class at Hogwarts dedicated to brewing potions and making an assortment of concoctions was exciting. However, he was almost equally delighted to see Leonard perched at one of the tables on his own, swinging his legs beneath his chair and humming happily to himself.

“Hey, Leonard,” he called out as he sat down.

Leonard looked up and beamed as he said, “Edgar! Ready to make some potions?”

“I dunno. I mean… _yes_ , I’m pretty excited. But I have no idea if this is going to require some innate magical abilities or if it’s as simple as mixing stuff in a cauldron.” Edgar chuckled and shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to find out.”

They made small talk while the rest of the students filed in. Shortly thereafter, their professor strode in.

“All right, all right.” The somewhat elderly man reached out with both hands and bobbed them up and down in an attempt to silence his class. When the room had grown sufficiently quiet, he cleared his throat and put on a smile. “This is Potions class and I am your Potions _Master_. My name is Horace Slughorn and it’s a pleasure to have you all here.” He did his best to make eye contact with all of the students while he spoke, but his gaze lingered on Edgar and Leonard especially at his final sentiments.

He then shifted into a discussion on the theory of brewing potions, including some of the earliest examples, and launched straight into the first lesson — an antidote for common poisons. Leonard was a natural and successfully concocted the potion with ease. It took Edgar a few tries before he managed the recipe as well. There was only one explosion throughout the entire class — a feat that apparently impressed their professor. Due to the innocuous nature of the antidote they’d brewed, Slughorn allowed any students who’d been successful to hang onto their potions.

“Here’s to hoping you won’t be needing them, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, no?” With a hearty laugh, he waved a hand and said, “Now I’m afraid our time is up for today. You’re free to go. I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday!”

At that, the students began leaving. Slughorn approached Leonard and Edgar and quietly said, “Would you two mind sticking around for a moment?” They shared a look — both confused and slightly worried — then nodded at their professor and sat back down. When the room was nearly empty, the older man smiled warmly.

“Mr. Clayborn, Mr. Tyllian… You may not know this, but I sometimes host private gatherings with some of my more… _exceptional_ students. Nothing too formal, mind you. It would be an honor to have you both at my next _soirée_.” The two boys shared another uncertain look before nodding once more and muttering their affirmations. “Wonderful! I’ll provide you with more details after our next class.” Without another word, he whirled around and began cleaning up the classroom in preparation for the next group of students he’d be teaching.

Edgar and Leonard hurried out together and breathed a collective sigh of relief.

“That was strange,” Edgar noted as they ascended the stairs from the lower levels of the castle. “I didn’t feel like I did all that great in there today. You knocked it out of the park on your first try though! I can see why he’d consider you to be exceptional, but I’m not so sure about myself.”

Leonard overlooked the unfamiliar American phrase alluding to baseball and said, “Oh come off it, Edgar. You’re unbelievably gifted. Everyone knows it, so I’m sure Slughorn does too.”

Edgar only blushed and bashfully pushed up his glasses.

“I guess…”

\-----------------

“I knew that name sounded familiar,” Luna said excitedly. Hermione and Edgar both looked over at the blonde-haired girl a bit stunned, then at Ginny who merely shrugged and shook her head. “ _Leonard Clayborn_. After Edgar mentioned his name, I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind. I dug through some of my old Quibbler issues and it came back to me. His mother is Emilia Clayborn, the CEO of Clayborn Industries.”

Hermione’s eyes suddenly widened and she gasped.

“How foolish of me… I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before.” At Edgar’s continued look of confusion, she elaborated further. “Clayborn Industries is a massive European manufacturing company. They make all sorts of products, but they’ve started dipping their toes into the realm of technology and computing.” Luna nodded as she spoke and reached into her bag to grab a magazine that she then handed to Edgar.

“It’s all in there. My father interviewed her back when her company started changing direction. She’s a muggle. On an unrelated note, she’s also a truly vile woman.”

Ginny arched an eyebrow and asked, “Vile? In what way?”

“All the same ways that make other corporate executives vile. She’s driven and focused and doesn’t stop until she gets what she wants. I never got to meet her husband, Theodore, but some people say that they’re only with one another for the sake of power. He gets to be married to a rich businesswoman and she gets to be married to a powerful wizard.”

Hermione grimaced at that — something that Edgar hadn’t missed.

“Well… Here’s to hoping that their son turned out okay,” Ginny said with a sigh.

Edgar nodded and said, “Leonard’s great. If his home life is affecting him in any sort of negative way, he’s doing a great job of not showing it.” Ginny muttered something unintelligible in reply. The group fell into an uncomfortable silence as they walked together to their next class.

‘ _There’s no way that innocent little boy could be harmful, right?_ ’

\-----------------

The next morning, over a hundred miles away from Hogwarts, Emilia Clayborn slapped at her buzzing alarm clock and rose from her bed with a yawn. She slid on a pair of comfortable slippers and threw a silk robe over her nightwear, then padded down the stairs of her elegant home and made her way toward the kitchen. The scent of breakfast was already wafting through the house and a cup of coffee was waiting for her on the island’s marble countertop. Two newspapers sat folded up next to the mug, one with moving pictures and one without.

“Good morning, darling,” Theodore Clayborn said from his place behind the counter. He scooped two sunny-side-up eggs and a pair of English muffins onto a plate, then waggled a finger at the platter. It rose into the air and drifted lazily toward Emilia, then settled onto the island before her. A moment later, a set of silverware did the same. Emilia wordlessly grabbed for the cup of coffee and took a sip, her eyes scanning the newspapers.

“An owl arrived this morning. Looks like Leo wrote to us.” Theodore grabbed at a clumsily sealed envelope and tore it open as he strode over to his wife’s side. Emilia’s interest was piqued and she set her coffee down, peering at the equally-clumsily folded parchment. When her husband flattened it out and dropped it on the counter, they both began to read. A smile stretched over Emilia’s pursed lips, the words on the page bouncing around in her head with the goofy sound of her son’s voice. Most of the letter was comprised of simple pleasantries and updates on Leonard’s progress at school. He eagerly discussed some of his school subjects and how quickly he was catching onto some of the spells they were teaching him.

One paragraph stuck out to her, though, and the smile that she once wore dissipated almost immediately.

_I made friends with Edgar today! I’ve been hearing all sorts of rumors about him since I first got to Hogwarts, but I didn’t really get to interact much with him until today. Turns out that most of those rumors weren’t true. He’s super friendly and we got along great! I also got to see him build one of his magical inventions. The professor seemed amazed by it. From what I can tell, it’s like this is the first time anyone at Hogwarts has ever met a kid like Edgar. All the more reason to get on his good side, right? I wouldn’t want to upset him; I bet he could make a gadget that shoots lasers or something._

By the time she’d finished reading, Emilia’s mind was churning at lightspeed. It wasn’t until Theodore chortled and shook his head that she felt herself being tugged back to the present.

“I’m happy to hear Leo’s getting along just fine,” he said happily, folding the letter back up and sliding it into its envelope. “I knew he wouldn’t have any trouble settling in.”

Emilia nodded — only partially paying attention — and paused for a moment before asking, “What do you think he meant by _magical inventions_? And _a gadget that shoots lasers_? I thought wizards and witches didn’t dabble in technology?”

Theodore laughed again and shrugged, saying, “I haven’t the foggiest idea. That boy sure has a creative imagination. I could have sworn we were past the whole _imaginary friend_ stage, but maybe it’s helping him cope. This transition can be a bit much for some kids.” He walked back around the island and finished making breakfast, leaving Emilia to mull over his words.

Something didn’t sit right with her. Leonard was imaginative, sure, but she knew him better than that. The fact that her husband was so quick to write off what her son had proposed in his letter meant that it was outlandish enough to be the stuff of fantasy. And if it meant what she _thought_ it meant…

…well that would be something, now wouldn’t it?

\-----------------


	6. Repercussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgar and Hermione are in for quite the surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first chapter that features a degree of smut. It's only a small sampling, but it's a taste of what's to come! The next chapter will feature a much more in-depth scene. I hope you enjoy!

By the end of his first week at Hogwarts, Edgar had begun to feel much more confident in his abilities and his understanding of magic as a whole. He’d devised a few more gadgets and grown even closer to his friends. And, more importantly, things between him and Hermione felt like they were back to a comfortable position. Of course, she’d still clam up sometimes, but there hadn’t been any other awkward moments between them since the incident in the library.

It was Friday and Edgar’s last class of the day was Divination. It was a double-period staggered after the girls’ Potions class — which meant they had a free period for the last hour that Edgar was up in the tower. Hermione had decided it would be a pleasant surprise to wait for Edgar outside the Divination classroom. The smile on Edgar’s face when he saw her told her that she was right.

“So,” she started as she walked by his side. “How was your first week at Hogwarts?” She looped her arm through his and matched his strides.

Edgar chuckled and said, “Pretty _magical_.” Hermione rolled her eyes, but let out a small laugh at the dumb pun. “In all seriousness, though… It’s fantastic here. But I have to attribute some of that to my friends.” He reached over and patted her arm, allowing his hand to linger there.

Hermione smirked and playfully flipped her hair as she replied, “We are pretty great, aren’t we?” Edgar couldn’t help but laugh along with her. Once they’d reached the main hall, Hermione asked, “What are your plans this evening? Ginny has Quidditch practice and Luna’s going to be attending. I was hoping maybe you’d join me for a walk around the school grounds? We don’t have long to enjoy the fall weather before winter comes along.”

Edgar nodded and seemed to perk up. “That sounds great! I should probably go get changed first, but that shouldn’t take me too long.”

“Of course. Meet me at the front entrance at four o’clock.” She dropped her hand atop Edgar’s and squeezed it lightly before breaking away and heading off toward the Gryffindor Common Room. There was a spring in Edgar’s step as he headed back to his dormitory as well.

‘ _You’ve finally landed a date with the cutest girl in school._ ’ The thought made Edgar blush. Was it a date? While things had been improving with Hermione, she was still with Ron — as far as Edgar knew. Furthermore, there were still some awkward moments between them when they got especially close… Maybe it was best just to think of it as a friendly outing with a _platonic_ companion.

‘ _Yeah, right. That’ll be tough when you’re thinking about kissing her the whole time._ ’

…that was certainly true.

Edgar pulled off his school robes and slid into a pair of comfortable pants and a plain T-shirt with a button-up shirt over top. He thought that he’d taken a while to change, but by the time he was ready, there were still more than forty-five minutes before he would be meeting Hermione. And so he began to pace, allowing his internal monologue to dig its wretched claws ever deeper.

‘ _I’m sure you’ve got nothing to worry about. Even if she likes you right now — if only a little — you’re bound to screw it up and scare her off anyhow. There’s no way you match up to this Ron guy. Hell, you can’t even cast spells._ ’

He sighed and shook his head. This was just an outing with a friend. It didn’t need to be anything more than that…right?

For fear of driving himself crazy, he decided to occupy his mind by tinkering for the remainder of his wait. As the time drew nearer, he headed down toward the main entrance. When he saw Hermione leaning up against a pillar in a pair of jeans and a pink zip-up hoodie, he had to stifle a sharp intake of breath. She really _was_ the cutest girl in school and seeing her out of her robes was almost…breathtaking.

‘ _You need to get ahold of yourself or you’re gonna skip the screwing things up part and jump straight to ruining this friendship._ ’

Huh. The voice in his head seemed to be capable of channeling _productive_ thoughts as well.

“Hey, Hermione,” he said as he drew closer, waving at her stiffly. He looked incredibly awkward. And it was exactly that realization that made Hermione laugh when she looked up and saw him.

“Hey yourself,” she rebutted, returning his awkward wave. “Shall we get going?” She pushed off of the pillar and slid her hands into her pockets as she strode up to Edgar’s side and pointed herself toward the exit. Edgar nodded and the two of them started toward the trail.

\-----------------

They walked and made small talk for the better part of an hour. Hermione pointed out various landmarks as they passed by and Edgar did his best to focus on the conversation at hand rather than the way Hermione’s hair was gently flowing in the breeze. When they came upon the lake, Edgar took in a deep breath and looked out over the water.

“It’s so peaceful,” he said breathlessly, coming to a stop while he watched the small ripples on the surface. Hermione nodded in agreement and turned her head to look up at Edgar admiringly.

“Yes, it is… Come on!” She grabbed his hand and pulled him eagerly toward a nearby pier. The old wooden boards creaked under their feet. “There are mermaids in the lake, you know.” At the end of the dock, Hermione made to sit down on the edge, bringing Edgar down with her. Though it was no longer necessary, she left her hand in his.

“You’re kidding, right?” Edgar smiled widely and shook his head.

‘ _With all the magic and amazing creatures you’ve seen so far, the thought of mermaids is still too much for your little head to handle?_ ’ It was a fair point, but Edgar was far too intrigued to pay it much mind.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, sitting there with their legs hanging over the side of the pier, dangling just above the water, and listening to the faint sounds of wildlife whisking through the air.

“I’m really glad we found you,” Hermione said softly, leaning to the side to subconsciously rest her head on Edgar’s shoulder. “You belong at Hogwarts. Luna, Ginny, and I are all so happy to have you here.” She sighed gleefully and squeezed his hand tenderly.

Edgar blushed softly and hoarsely whispered back, “I’m really happy to be here too, ‘Mione.” He tilted his head to the side and rested it atop hers. They stayed that way for a full minute. Then another. And another still. The water lapped at the wooden dock beneath them and birds chirped overhead. At that moment, all was right with the world.

…until one bird flew too low to the surface of the lake and a loud splash sounded out as a tentacle burst upward and snagged the poor critter, yanking it down into the water.

The scene had been so shocking for Edgar — especially in contrast to his presently peaceful state — that he yelped and jolted, slipping from his spot on the dock and plummeting downward. In a knee-jerk act of self-preservation, Hermione released his hand as he fell. As soon as she realized what had happened, however, she gasped.

“Merlin’s beard!” Her shout could hardly be heard by Edgar, who had already become completely submerged in the water. She reached for her wand, gearing up to help him with magic, but he quickly splashed to the surface and flailed an arm around for help. Hermione knelt to grab at his sopping hand, wrestling him back up onto the relative safety of the dock.

The two of them laid there, breathing heavily and recovering from the traumatic moment. After he took a moment to catch his breath, Edgar began chuckling. It gradually turned into hearty laughter as it occurred to him how silly the whole thing had been and soon Hermione was following suit. The two of them laughed and laughed, rolling around in the puddle of water that was forming around Edgar. Finally, Hermione got up and helped Edgar to his feet.

“Come on,” she said, still lightly giggling. “We need to get you out of these wet clothes.”

They rushed back to the castle together — Edgar leaving a trail of dripping water every step of the way — and Hermione led him through the halls and up several staircases. Finally, they arrived in front of an unusually extravagant-looking door next to a statue.

“This is the Prefects’ Bathroom,” Hermione explained. “It’s reserved for the Head Boy and Girl, the Prefects, and the Quidditch Captains. I’m none of those things…but Ginny being the Captain of the Gryffindor team has its perks.” She laughed, then turned toward the door and uttered the password. “Lovely Lavender.”

The door unlatched and creaked open and Hermione flashed Edgar a smile as she pushed it even further and ushered him inside. As soon as the door closed behind them, however, they both skidded to a halt and gazed in shock at the scene unfolding before them.

Ginny and Luna were stark naked in the center of the bathroom, their clothes strewn haphazardly across the floor from where they stood to the doorway. Luna was bent over one of the long basins, her hands firmly braced against the top of the porcelain sink. Her long, blonde hair drooped down and covered her face. Ginny stood behind Luna, her hands on her girlfriend’s hips as her waist shifted back and forth rhythmically.

A harness was secured around Ginny’s pelvis, holding in place a long, wriggling appendage that was presently sliding in and out of Luna’s ass with an almost alarming amount of force. No noise could be heard and Hermione later surmised that they’d used a silencing charm to prevent any passersby in the hallway from detecting them. It was a smart move on their part based on the number of times Ginny brought her hand down roughly on Luna’s supple ass cheeks and the apparent howls of pleasure those slaps elicited from the poor girl.

Right then, however, Hermione could only look on in disbelief, her cheeks flooding with color and her brain refusing to conjure up any rational thought. A warmth spread throughout her core and her subconscious picked up on a moistening sensation within her panties. Edgar was in much the same state, unable to truly make sense of what he was seeing and opting instead to simply stand there, dumbfounded, with a stirring in his pants.

Neither of them could be certain how long they stood there, rooted in awe. But as soon as Ginny looked up and saw the two of them — silently squealing and quickly draping an arm over her exposed breasts — Edgar snapped back to reality and grabbed Hermione’s arm, tugging her with him out of the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind them. They were silent for a moment, both just blushing and gazing off in the distance, gradually becoming fully aware of the arousal that had begun to take hold of them. Finally, Edgar began to chuckle again and it didn’t take long for Hermione to join him.

“Those two… I swear,” she said between giggles, leaning against the wall and slumping downward. “I never would have expected that.”

“Really?” Edgar asked, teasingly. “ _Never?_ Knowing the two of them, you _never_ would have expected that?” He slid down to join her, his sopping clothes squelching in the process. He had a good point and Hermione’s giggling doubled at the realization.

“I suppose you’re right…” She shook her head and sighed. “That was just so… _wow_.”

“Yeah,” Edgar agreed. “Wow…”

They sat there for a moment, getting their bearings — and allowing their respective chemical reactions to dissipate. Then Hermione patted Edgar’s knee and stood back up.

“We should get going before we have to face them. That would be awkward, wouldn’t it?” She laughed again and said, “Not to mention you’re still completely soaked. You’ll catch a cold if you’re not careful.”

Back on his feet, Edgar made a noise of disagreement and said, “I’ll be _fine_. Don’t worry about me!” Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes playfully at him, then grabbed his hand and pulled him with her down the hall.

When they reached the staircase, she turned toward him and said, “I guess this is where we part ways.” The way to the Gryffindor Common Room was down the stairs and the Ravenclaw Common Room was in the opposite direction.

“Nonsense,” Edgar said with a smile, squeezing Hermione’s hand. “I’ll walk with you.” The notion elicited a scoff from Hermione followed by another laugh.

“That is _entirely_ unnecessary, Edgar Tyllian. I mean it; you need to get changed!” She gestured down at the pool of water forming at his feet to emphasize her point. Nevertheless, she subconsciously began lacing her fingers between Edgar’s and locking their hands together more closely.

“…I _suppose_ you have a point,” he said with a smirk. Rather than moving away, however, he took a step closer to Hermione, closing the distance to just over a foot between them. Her cutely pursed lips and the slight blush forming on her cheeks were evidence that Hermione didn’t seem _too_ perturbed by the action.

“I think you’ll find that I often know what I’m talking about, _Mr. Tyllian_ ,” she rebutted teasingly, her eyes twinkling a little. Edgar chuckled and met her gaze.

With his eyes locked on hers and his cheeks reddening as well, he shuffled even closer to her. Then, before he knew what he was doing, he leaned forward and tilted his head to the side. Hermione’s eyes widened momentarily…then closed as she felt Edgar’s lips pressing against hers. She felt herself leaning into him and kissing him back…

The kiss stretched on for a few seconds and Hermione lost herself in the sensation. She subconsciously squeezed Edgar’s hand as a way of informing him that she was very much enjoying herself. The squeeze, however, forced Edgar to realize what it was that he was doing and he instantly broke the kiss, pulling back and taking in a deep breath. He looked at Hermione with wide eyes and shook his head.

“Hermione… I’m so sorry.” His voice was shaky and he released her hand to take a step back. Hermione blushed, looking dazed and bewildered, searching for words. Edgar cleared his throat and looked down at the floor, still shaking his head. “I… I shouldn’t have…” With one last look up at her, he gave her that same awkward wave and — in a near-whisper — said, “Have a good night.” Without another word, he turned and practically sprinted toward the staircase.

When Hermione finally came to her senses, she called out, “Edgar! Wait!” But he was already up the stairs and out of sight. A million different things were running through her mind then. She gave a small sigh and leaned against the wall, feeling very confused and a little bit dejected.

\-----------------

Ginny stepped through the hole in the wall behind the fat lady’s portrait, a smile on her face as she strode into the Gryffindor Common Room. That smile instantly faded when she saw Hermione sitting in one of the big armchairs near the fireplace — absently staring at the flames flickering within — and was replaced, instead, by a grimace.

“Hermione, I am so sorry you had to see… _that_ ,” she started, blushing deeply as she approached the armchair. “To be fair, you’re not _technically_ supposed to use that bathroom…” She scoffed at herself and put her head in her hands with a groan. “No, no, no… It’s not your fault. Luna and I shouldn’t be fooling around in there… I’m sorry…” When she slid her hands down her face and looked up at Hermione, she noticed that her friend didn’t seem to be paying her any attention. “Hey, ’Mione?”

She reached up and waved her hand in front of Hermione’s face and the poor girl nearly jumped out of the chair. Even with her cheeks burning crimson, Ginny couldn’t help but laugh at her jumpy behavior.

“Everything all right?” she asked, arching an eyebrow and narrowing her gaze. Hermione bit her lip and stared at Ginny for a moment before looking back at the fireplace and sighing.

“I…kissed Edgar.” She closed her eyes and sighed again, shaking her head. “Well… I guess _he_ kissed _me_ , but it’s not like I did anything to stop it…” Her eyes opened and flicked back to look at Ginny. “I mean… He didn’t… _Ugh!_ ” She gave a frustrated sigh and pulled her legs up onto the seat of the chair, hugging them to her chest. “I _wanted_ to kiss him, Ginny. He started kissing me and I didn’t want him to stop…”

Ginny, for her part, had been taken aback at first. But the more Hermione talked — and cutely fumbled over her words — the more gleeful Ginny began to look. By the time Hermione had finished, Ginny was smirking widely.

“Wow,” she said, sitting down in front of the armchair, crossing her legs and sticking her hands in her lap. “That’s…a lot to take in.” Hermione chewed her lip and nodded nervously in reply. “And…I take it you expect me to be upset at you for doing this behind Ron’s back?” Hermione hesitated for a moment…then nodded again. Ginny rolled her eyes and scooted closer to the chair, reaching a hand up to grab at Hermione’s shoe.

“Look,” she started, squeezing the little rubber cap on her friend’s sneaker. “Ron is a great brother. No, scratch that… Ron is an _okay_ brother. But I think we both know he’s not the best _boyfriend_.” Hermione blushed but stayed otherwise expressionless, neither confirming nor denying Ginny’s sentiment. “Edgar… Well he’s something else, isn’t he?” Ginny’s smile quirked even wider when Hermione’s blush deepened. “Hell, we’ve only known the guy for a week or so. But I’ve seen how he makes you feel.”

She slowly rose to her feet and gave Hermione’s shoe another pat before turning and walking toward the stairs that led to the girls’ dormitories.

Over her shoulder, she called out, “I’d have to be a pretty horrible friend to not want the best for you…” Just before she rounded the corner to mount the first step, she looked back at Hermione and gave her a cute little grin. “…even if that means being a pretty horrible sister in the process.” She winked and then vanished up the stairs.

Her words hung in the air around Hermione, though. She had a lot on her mind, given the entire situation, but at least now she knew she could count on Ginny to be there for her if needed. She gave another sigh as she released her legs and dropped them back to the floor, looking back at the fireplace and wondering what to do next…

\-----------------

Edgar jolted upright at the sound of knocking on his door, a nervous look on his face.

“Uhm… Come in?” he called out, scooting to the edge of his bed and swinging his legs off the side. The door to his dormitory was softly pushed open and a blonde-haired head poked through. Edgar squinted and asked, “Luna? What are you doing here?” Luna opened the door just enough to squeeze in, then closed it softly behind herself.

“Hey, Edgar,” she started, a small smile on her lips. “I wanted to apologize to you for what you and Hermione saw earlier.” Her words were solemn, but her tone was just as airy as always. “Ginny and I needed a private place and that seemed as good as any.”

Edgar surprised her by breaking out into a fit of laughter.

“I’ll admit, it was a little surprising,” he said, flopping backward and folding his hands over his chest. “But not entirely unexpected, I guess. You two are like rabbits.”

Luna let out a little hum of agreement and the corner of her lips turned up as she took a seat at the foot of Edgar’s bed.

“Well,” she said, turning slightly to look down at Edgar in his reclined position. “If it’s not what you saw in the bathroom, may I ask what’s troubling you?” Her face was blank while Edgar’s was painted with surprise. Of his three female friends, Luna seemed to be the one who was able to read him the best. After a moment, Edgar sighed and brought a hand up to cover his face.

“I kissed Hermione tonight, after the bathroom incident. It was stupid of me…”

Luna seemed unphased by Edgar’s first statement, but she cocked her head to the side at the one that followed.

“Stupid? How so?”

Edgar dropped his hand away from his face and looked at her in disbelief.

“Any number of reasons,” he said with exasperation. “But if I had to pick one, it would probably be that she’s _in a relationship!_ ” He groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face in blankets.

“That’s true,” Luna said, slowly laying back on the bed as well and looking up at the ceiling. “But I’d be willing to bet that she didn’t shy away from the kiss, did she?” Edgar mumbled something into the blankets that was barely audible or comprehensible. “Precisely,” Luna said in reply, rolling onto her side to stare at Edgar. “I don’t blame you for feeling like you’ve done a bad thing, but in all likelihood, you’ve got nothing to fear.”

Edgar groaned and slowly turned his head away from the blankets to look back at her. He stared at her silently for a moment before narrowing his eyes.

“Are we just going to ignore how sexist it is that you can be in my room but I can’t be in yours?”

Luna laughed and rose to hop off of Edgar’s bed.

“I don’t make the rules,” she said with a smirk, swinging his door open. “Get some rest, Edgar. Things aren’t as bad as you think they are.”

Once the door closed behind her, Edgar shoved his face back into his blankets and groaned again.

\-----------------

The following morning, Edgar nervously readied himself for breakfast. It had taken him a while to get to sleep the night before and when he finally had, his dreams consisted of an endless loop of his kiss with Hermione and what he’d witnessed in the Prefects’ bathroom. Of course, that only further lent to his anxiety.

He wasn’t sure when Luna would be waking up, so he left the Ravenclaw Common Room on his own. The entire walk to the Great Hall was spent mulling over the events of the previous day and where things would lead moving forward. What was he going to say to Hermione? Were they even going to be friends? Why the hell was Luna so confident that he shouldn’t be worried?

‘ _You just need to relax,_ ’ came that damned voice. It occurred to him that it had been mostly quiet since his kiss with Hermione. ‘ _That’s because I was so proud of you for finally stepping up. It’s not going to mean much if you ruin it by being a nervous wreck, though._ ’ It was…surprisingly helpful advice coming from such a wretched internal monologue. Maybe that spoke volumes about his level of confidence.

He stopped in his tracks as he rounded the corner and saw Hermione waiting outside the Great Hall. All thoughts of confidence vacated him immediately. She was a few dozen yards away from him, but all he could do was stand there and stare at her, panic coursing through him.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take her long to look up and see him. With a slight smile, she gave him the same awkward wave he’d given her just the day before. He returned it…but didn’t move from his spot. He panicked even more when she began walking toward him.

‘ _Will you calm the hell down, already? Damn, dude. Just breathe._ ’

Right. Breathing… That was important.

“Hey, Edgar,” Hermione said shyly as she drew near. She came to a halt a few feet away from him — close enough to talk but far enough away to feel less-than-intimate.

“Hermione, I’m-“ he started, but she raised a hand to stop him.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. Really.” She gave him a warm, reassuring look. “Falling into the lake…Ginny and Luna…it was all a bit much. A lot was going on and it was just an impulse thing, right?” There was a bit of redness on her cheeks as Edgar gulped and nodded. “Right,” she said, nodding back and pursing her lips. She looked at the floor for a moment…then shrugged and met Edgar’s gaze again. “So…no big deal. Okay?” Edgar nodded again and cleared his throat, still not sure what to say.

With a satisfied hum, Hermione extended her hand toward him.

“Friends?”

Edgar blushed and reached out to grab her hand and shake it.

“Friends,” he said quietly, giving her a half-smile beneath his crimson cheeks.

Hermione hummed again and squeezed Edgar’s hand softly. Then, she released it, turned on her heels, and headed back toward the Great Hall without another word. Edgar’s hand dropped down to his side and he gave a big sigh of relief, his nerves seemingly fading away.

‘ _Well, that certainly could have gone worse._ ’

Once more, he and his internal monologue were in agreement.

\-----------------


	7. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgar resigns himself to just being a good friend to Hermione. Luna and Ginny talk about opening up their relationship. A pair of them are in for a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter where the smut really takes off! I hope you enjoy yourself and please leave any comments you may have — good or bad!

The library was eerily quiet and practically empty — save for the two of them. Edgar supposed that not a lot of the students felt like spending their Saturday mornings with their noses in books. There he was, however, with Hermione across the table from him, shoving his nose in a book on a Saturday morning. And — if he was being honest with himself — there was very little that could have made him happier.

It wasn’t until Hermione looked up from _her_ book that Edgar realized he’d been staring at her for a good while. She blushed under his gaze and he cleared his throat, looking back down at the pages before him. Hermione seemed to make up her mind about something then and she closed the tome, crossing her arms over it and taking a deep breath.

“Are things going to be awkward between us now?” she asked, smiling curiously.

Edgar met her gaze, his cheeks burning, then scoffed and shook his head.

“Of course not,” he said unconvincingly.

‘ _Boy, she sure looks adorable right now._ ’

He clamped his eyes shut and did his best to ignore the intruding voice. Hermione was quiet for a moment before letting out a laugh and a weary sigh.

“Edgar, I really-“

“Hey,” he said, opening his eyes and raising his hands to stop her. “Look, I… I’ll stop being weird. What happened was just an accident and…” He trailed off, unsure where the sentence was even headed.

“…and it didn’t mean anything,” Hermione finished, her cheeks reddening further.

Edgar’s expression shifted to something unreadable and he looked away, quietly echoing, “Yeah… It didn’t mean anything…”

Hermione put on her best poker face and nodded firmly before adding, “Because we’re just good friends.”

Edgar fought back a sigh.

“Right. Good friends.” He then stood up, closing his book and tucking it under his arm. “I should get going,” he said, just above a whisper. Then, he headed toward the grand doors to exit the library.

Inside, Hermione’s heart lurched. She wanted so badly to reach out and grab his hand — to squeeze it reassuringly. Hell, to _kiss him again_. But she knew that she shouldn’t even be _thinking_ about doing any of those things _let alone_ actually _doing_ them. She owed it to Ron. And to herself. So on the outside, she simply nodded and focused back on the book on the table in front of her…the _closed_ book.

It was alarming to her just how little self-control she possessed when it came to Edgar and how quickly she lost her inhibitions around him. The only way she knew how to handle it was to push him away — as much as it pained her to do so.

\-----------------

Luna sat on a bench in the school’s courtyard with Ginny by her side, her girlfriend’s head resting on her shoulder. Their hands were locked together and Ginny was idly running her thumb up and down the side of Luna’s palm. A few other Hogwarts students were roaming around, chatting and laughing with one another, but the two girls didn’t seem to be paying them any mind.

Though Luna couldn’t see Ginny’s face — scrunched up in nervous thought — from the way they were situated, she could sense that something was bothering the poor girl by the extra force with which her hand was being squeezed.

“Is something on your mind?” she asked rhetorically, nuzzling her head against Ginny’s. Ginny was silent for a moment before letting out a small sigh.

“I’ve been thinking lately…and I have a proposal. But I don’t want it to frighten you.”

Luna — far from frightened — loosed a cute little hum of inquiry. Ginny remained silent for yet another moment. Then she pulled away from Luna to turn herself, straddling the bench and facing her girlfriend head-on.

“You know I love you, right?” she asked, a genuine look of concern on her features. Luna turned her face to meet Ginny’s and nodded with a wide smile on her lips. “And…you know that I could never be happier — _emotionally_ — with anyone else, right?” Again, Luna nodded, her smile never faltering. Ginny gave a nervous laugh as she asked, “And you know I absolutely _adore_ fooling around with you, right?” Luna giggled cutely and reached out to grab Ginny’s hand again.

“Whatever is on your mind, Gin…you can just tell me.” Luna’s silvery eyes locked on Ginny’s and nearly melted her heart. The way she squeezed her hand was so reassuring and…well, _just_ what Ginny needed. Merlin, she loved that girl.

Ginny took a deep breath, then said, “I was wondering how you might feel about opening things up a bit in our relationship. You know… _physically_. I kind of miss fooling around with _guys_ … Now, I know there are some things we can try if you’re not up for it… But of course, we don’t have to try any of those things if you don’t _want to_ either! It’s just…whatever you want to do, Luna, because I-“

She was cut off by Luna leaning forward and kissing her deeply. Ginny had been expecting any number of reactions, but _that_ was certainly not one of them. After she’d recovered from her shock, however, she pulled back and looked at Luna curiously.

“Is…that a…yes?”

Luna giggled again and reached up to cup Ginny’s cheek.

“Of course it is, Ginny. I love you…and I want to make you happy in whatever way I can. As long as I’m the one whose arms you wind up in at the end of the day…you can fool around with whoever you like.” She smiled warmly and gave Ginny another kiss. “Just promise me,” she said, pulling back to look at her sternly, “that you’ll only do so with people who _deserve_ it. You’re too spectacular for some of these blokes.” Her gaze shifted to a particularly unruly group of boys in the courtyard who were all laughing loudly and teasing another smaller boy nearby.

Ginny’s face lit up as Luna spoke and tears formed in her eyes. The overwhelming relief that coursed through her was capped off by a burst of joyful laughter and she wrapped her arms around Luna to pull her in for a hug.

“I adore you,” she said gleefully, still giggling a little. “And I promise you that none of these nutters have a chance with me.” She pulled back and gazed lovingly at her girlfriend, tears of happiness dribbling down her cheeks. “And you know,” she continued, reaching up to wipe her cheeks clean, “this means you get to do the same.”

Luna nodded and looked off as she pondered for a moment, quietly saying, “True… Though I’m not sure there’s anyone I’m _itching_ to climb into bed with…” Then, her gaze shifted back to Ginny’s. “Was there anyone in particular that you were interested in?” Ginny blushed and looked down at the ground.

“Well,” she started, “there _is_ this Chaser on the Hufflepuff team…” She bit her lip and looked up at Luna sheepishly. Luna just laughed again and squeezed Ginny’s hand. The two of them shared another hug and Ginny took a moment to appreciate just how phenomenal her girlfriend was.

\-----------------

“Hey, Edgar!”

Edgar jolted and looked around curiously for the sound of the voice. He hadn’t expected to bump into anyone on his walk around the school grounds. When he saw Leonard rushing up the trail behind him, however, he gave the boy a wave and politely stopped walking to give him a chance to catch up.

“Good to see you again, Leonard.”

“Right back at you!” he replied earnestly. “Felt like getting some fresh air, huh?”

Edgar let out a nervous chuckle and mumbled, “Something like that…” The sounds of twigs and leaves crunching beneath their feet sounded out as he started strolling once more with Leonard by his side. Leonard looked at Edgar curiously but didn’t push the subject any further.

“So… We’ve got that dinner with Professor Slughorn tomorrow night. I was hoping you’d sit next to me…” Leonard blushed and continued, “I don’t know who all is going to be there, but I get a little nervous in social situations like that and…it would just make me feel better if you were by my side. That’s all.”

Edgar smiled and reached over to pat his friend on the back.

“Don’t you worry, Leo. I’ll gladly keep you company!” The little Hufflepuff boy laughed at the nickname and sighed in relief at his friend’s warm words. Then, he stopped and wrapped his arms around Edgar’s waist.

“Thank you so much, Edgar. You’re a really good friend.”

Edgar patted Leonard on the back, wanting to continue reassuring him. But in his mind, Leonard’s words echoed those of Hermione’s.

‘ _We’re just good friends._ ’

He held back a groan and put on a forced smile as Leonard retracted and beamed up at him. The two of them started back down the trail again and Edgar did his best to enjoy the time with his friend, engaging in some lighthearted small talk and speculating about what might transpire at dinner the following night. After a while, it became easier not to wish he were spending time with Hermione instead…

\-----------------

Luna had seen how excited Ginny was to give their relationship’s newfound openness a _test drive_ of sorts and had gleefully dismissed her to go and have her fun, making her promise to spend the following day with her as compensation. While she was delighted to bring her girlfriend an elevated level of happiness, she _was_ a little bummed out that she didn’t have any prospects lined up. She’d even spent the bulk of the day thinking about who she’d even approach… Honestly, nobody came to mind. Up until she and Ginny had started their relationship, she hadn’t considered much of anyone to be a viable candidate for physical intimacy. Except, of course, for Neville, but he was a professor now and that simply wouldn’t do. Ultimately, she decided that it would be better not to think about it too much. Ginny could have her fun and Luna would simply revel in what the two of them shared. That was what mattered, right?

When Edgar pushed open the door to the Ravenclaw Common Room, he saw Luna sitting upside down in a giant armchair near the fireplace, her bare feet draped over the head of the chair and her head dangling off of the seat. She seemed distracted at first, but at the sound of the door slamming shut, she looked over and smiled at Edgar, giving him an upside-down wave. Edgar chuckled at the sight as he made his way toward her.

“What are you up to?” he asked, eyeing her curiously. He’d begun to grow accustomed to Luna’s strange and sometimes alarming behavior, the shock waning into humored surprise more so than anything else. Once he’d made that transition, he realized that there were plenty of things to be learned from her — though those things were not always pleasant. As such, he found it best just to humor her and learn a thing or two. At the very least, she seemed to appreciate being taken seriously.

“Trying to spy a Brown Gendrey,” she said, matter-of-factly, letting her eyes wander back around the room again. “You can only see them if you’re upside-down.”

“What exactly is a _Brown Gendrey_?” asked Edgar, a hint of worry in his voice. “And do I need to be concerned about it crawling in my ear?” He dropped his bag on a nearby table and slowly approached the armchair, looking around the room for anything suspicious.

“The Brown Gendrey is a rarer variety of the traditional Gray Gendrey,” Luna replied calmly — as though that explained everything. “And you needn’t worry about it crawling in your ear. The Gendrey are much too big for that.”

Edgar let out a dramatic sigh of relief and made to squeeze into the large armchair beside Luna. She scooted to the side to make room for him and he clumsily attempted to orient himself. When he was finally in the same upside-down position, he started to scan the room as well. The two of them were pressed snugly together and he shifted a bit to get more comfortable, wrenching his arm out from beneath himself and looping it through Luna’s to conserve space.

After a few moments, Edgar laughed and said, “I’m not seeing anything.” He turned his head to look at Luna and asked, “Just how big are these things?”

Luna turned to look back at Edgar and realized just how close they were. Being in such tight proximity suddenly forced her to look closely at Edgar…to study his facial features and admire him. She hadn't really thought about it much before since she’d been devoted to Ginny, but now that their relationship offered up additional freedoms… Well, she couldn’t deny how adorable he was.

More than that, however, she appreciated him in _all_ of his facets. Of all of her friends, Edgar was the most willing to take her seriously. And he seemed to understand her on a level that others didn’t — Ginny included. They’d only been friends for a week, but Luna had already developed several fond memories with him and…maybe it wouldn’t hurt to develop a few more. The thought brought a slight flush to her cheeks — a sight Edgar wasn’t used to seeing.

“No larger than the average housecat,” she finally said, her voice even more airy than usual.

Just about anyone else at Hogwarts might have overlooked Luna’s odd behavior — written it off as typical of the strange girl and not batted an eye. Edgar, however, knew better. Something was eating away at her and making her _unusually_ flustered. Luna wasn’t one to get flustered so the sight stuck out to him like a sore thumb.

“Hey…what’s up?” he asked her, a look of genuine concern on his face.

“Our feet, for one,” she said — deflecting — and wiggled her toes for good measure. The sight of his eyes — so bright and green — boring into hers made her heart pound in her chest.

Edgar rolled his eyes and half-laughed at her joke before grabbing for her hand and squeezing it.

“I’m serious,” he said, getting her attention and gazing at her sternly. “You don’t know what I’ve been tinkering with lately… I’ll pry the information out of you if I have to, so you better just tell me before things get nasty.” He did his best to look evil and malicious, but it only served to make him look even cuter.

Luna wasn’t used to _wanting_ people. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t an intimate person — after all, her relationship with Ginny was evidence to the contrary. She just didn’t feel that same sense of desire that most people felt for others. Which is what made it all the more strange when she suddenly felt that very thing for Edgar. At that moment…with their faces so close together…holding hands…smooshed into such a tight space with one another… There was a warmth in her core that caused her panties to feel remarkably moister than they had just a few moments prior. All she could feel was a deeply-seeded compulsion to kiss him.

So she did.

It was all Edgar could do to watch her expression shift from cute thoughtfulness to urgent need… And he nearly yelped in surprise when she craned her neck closer to him and kissed him passionately. For a moment, he was stunned, simply allowing the kiss to happen without much participation on his part. Then he felt himself melting into it. And when Luna finally pulled back and looked at him innocently, he needed just a moment longer to catch his breath.

“What was that?” he asked breathily, still reeling from the turn of events…and the stiffening in his pants.

Luna studied his features for a moment — her cheeks still pink — before she finally said, “I wanted to kiss you.” Her hand snaked over to his stomach and slowly crept up his torso. Then, she bit her lip and added, “I want to do… _other things_ with you too.”

Edgar’s eyes widened — more out of surprise than anything else — and he stammered, “B-but what about Ginny?”

Luna simply smiled and replied, “She won’t be bothered by it, I promise.” Before Edgar could dig into the subject any deeper, she leaned forward and kissed him again. Then again.

Edgar couldn’t quite believe what was happening. And a small part of him felt guilty.

‘ _Guilty? What? Why?_ ’

The obvious answer was Hermione Granger. But…the voice in his head had a point. She’d made it pretty clear that she just wanted to be friends…right?

‘ _Right. So forget about her and figure out what other things this beautiful, upside-down girl wants to do with you._ ’

It still felt wrong, but…he couldn’t deny how stunning Luna was. And how lovely her lips felt against his… So he worked up his nerves and pulled back to look Luna directly in the eye and — after a moment of intense thought — nodded.

“I’d…like that a lot,” he said, blushing profusely. Luna beamed and began deftly climbing from her spot on the armchair with Edgar clumsily following suit. “Where are we-“ he started, wondering how they’d manage the privacy.

“Your room, silly,” she said, leading him by his hand toward the stairwell. He rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself.

‘ _Right. Sexism. At least it’s working in your favor, huh?_ ’

Giddiness coursed through him as Luna pulled him up toward his dormitory and his eyes instinctively dropped down to her ass, flexing and jiggling behind her with every step she took. It was shaped exactly like a peach and her jeans gripped it in a way that forced Edgar to ask himself how he’d never noticed it before. Now that he _had_ , he wasn’t sure he’d be able to _stop_.

When they reached the top of the stairs just outside his door, he tugged on her hand to turn her to face him.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, nervousness still very much prominent on his face. Luna’s cheeks were still aflame, but she nodded firmly and looked directly into Edgar’s eyes.

“At this moment…more than just about anything else.” There was an adorable twinkle in her eye and it dissolved any remaining concerns Edgar had left.

He shoved open the door to his room and pulled her inside, eliciting a giggle from her. When it closed behind them, he pressed her up against it and locked lips with her once more. After a squeak of excitement, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Only a few moments later, she slowly parted her lips and slid her tongue out, causing a surprised Edgar to mimic her actions. As they wrestled tongues, Edgar took the opportunity to run his hands down her back, across the waistband of her pants, and down onto the glorious swell of her buttocks. A small whimper escaped him when he felt her plump globes in his palms and a surge of blood rushed straight to his groin.

It was when his hands roamed to the hem of her shirt and made to start pulling it upward that Luna broke the kiss and breathlessly said, “Wait.” Edgar’s eyes widened and he yanked his hands away apologetically, causing Luna to giggle again. “No, silly. I don’t mean it like that,” she said, smirking and shaking her head. Then, she took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Without saying a word, her hand raised and waved in front of her body.

Edgar hadn’t yet learned about wandless magic, but that was when he got his first taste of the phenomenon. With sheer concentration alone, Luna caused her clothes to begin unraveling right before Edgar’s eyes. Each strand of fabric unstitched itself and shot through the air, finding purchase on the trunk at the foot of Edgar’s bed where the clothes resewed themselves. Throughout the entire experience, Edgar’s jaw was dropping and his brows were climbing higher on his forehead, in sheer disbelief at the sight he was beholding. By the time she was finished, she was standing fully nude in front of him with her entire outfit folded neatly in a pile a few feet away. Edgar let out a throaty groan as his eyes devoured her.

Her breasts were pert and larger than he’d expected — more than a firm handful by his estimation. They rested atop a taut stomach with just a hint of abdominal muscle peeking through. Her long legs gave way to an already moist, adorable-looking pussy with a sparse patch of blonde pubic hair forming a light strip above it. The sight was intoxicating and while it was something Edgar had technically seen less than 24 hours ago in the Prefects’ bathroom, the context was entirely different this time around. He was no longer an unwelcome spectator… Now _he_ was the object of Luna’s desires.

Before she could even open her eyes to gauge Edgar’s reaction, he was hungrily pulling her back into another embrace and kissing her with frantic need. Luna giggled into the kiss and shivered as his hands trailed up and down her newly-naked form. The scent of her arousal drifted upward and presented itself to both of them, causing Edgar’s cock to stir even more so in his pants — an occurrence that transpired directly against Luna’s inner thigh. With another whimper, her own hand slid between their bodies and her fingertips enveloped the bulging shape. At that, she sighed and pulled away from the embrace, much to Edgar’s dismay.

“As nice as this is,” she started, gazing up into his eyes, “I’m already dying to have you inside of me, Edgar. Let’s not hesitate, shall we?” Edgar’s dismay turned to gleeful anticipation and he hurriedly unbuttoned his pants and pushed them — along with his boxers — to the floor. Luna watched intently and let out a small gasp as his cock bobbed into view. It was larger than average — though not alarmingly so — and looked to be rather thick. There was already a smattering of precum glazing the tip of the thing and it pulsated and throbbed anxiously. “I can tell you’re just as ready,” she said, biting her lip and stifling a small groan.

As Edgar pulled off and stepped out of the remainder of his clothes, Luna strode over to his bed and laid down, situating herself in the center. Edgar soon followed suit, climbing between her thighs and leaning down to kiss her tenderly. His cock nestled between her slick lips and twitched against her sensitive clit, dragging a soft moan of pleasure from her.

“Please, Edgar,” she practically begged, looking up at him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I need it…” Her eyes were swimming with lust and desire and it was a sight that Edgar never thought he’d be seeing. However, as much as he wanted to drive himself inside her and fuck her silly, he couldn’t hold back the playful side of himself that wanted so much more to tease her.

“Tell me exactly what you need,” he said, a playful smirk growing on his lips. His cock jerked and flopped back down onto her clit once more, making her whimper. Her hand reached down to wrap around his shaft and she slid it along her drenched opening.

“This cock — this _remarkable_ cock — deeply embedded in my naughty little hole.” She bit her lip and looked up at him innocently.

‘ _Holy shit. This girl is a fucking freak. Where has she been all this time?_ ’

He’d been wondering when the voice would make its grand entrance. And he couldn’t have agreed more. The Luna he was witnessing at that moment was unlike the quiet, airy girl he’d come to know in the past week. And fuck if he didn’t want to give her exactly what she wanted. Without any further hesitation, he pushed his hips forward.

The only cock that had ever been inside of Luna’s pussy before was the strap-on that Ginny liked to use on her. When she’d first witnessed Edgar’s cock, she hadn’t guessed it to be much larger in comparison. But as soon as he began driving himself inside her, she instantly knew that she’d been mistaken. The feeling was indescribable — beyond the sensations she felt from her fingers or any toy she’d ever used. She’d never felt so _full_ before and it was the sort of thing she could easily become addicted to. The loud moan of pleasure that emanated from her conveyed a fraction of that.

“Goodness, Edgar! You’re so big… It feels so good!”

At the same time, Edgar was groaning through gritted teeth, marveling at the tightness of Luna’s pussy. She was squeezing him firmly and the feeling was _magical_. By the time he bottomed out — his balls resting against her and his cock twitching inside her — he already felt like he could burst at any second.

“Oh fuck… Luna, you feel amazing…” He locked eyes with her and panted, staying still — both to give her time to adjust to his size and to fend off his impending orgasm. Unfortunately for him, Luna was already on the precipice of a climax of her own and her pussy rippling around his cock was rapidly pulling him over the edge. He clamped his eyes shut and gasped. “Shit… Luna… I don’t think-“

“It’s okay, Edgar,” she said breathily, pulling him down until their faces were only an inch apart. “Me too. Just… _Ungh!_ Just let it out…” Then she kissed him with the same vigor that she had only moments before. Her cute moans and her quivering sex along with the feeling of her tongue swirling around his once again… It was all too much.

Edgar groaned loudly and Luna felt his cock expand inside her… Then she felt the first blast of cum splatter against her deepest reaches and the sensation launched her into ecstasy. Her pussy shuddered and squeezed even more tightly around the convulsing cock inside her and blinding shots of pleasure coursed through her body. More and more of Edgar’s spunk flooded her depths and their kissing took a backseat to the insurmountable feelings they were both experiencing.

After what felt like a blissful eternity, the last bits of his cum drooled out within her and her pussy finally ceased its vice grip. Edgar slumped down onto her and heaved a deep sigh. Luna’s breath was ragged and she found it difficult to form coherent thoughts, let alone speak them.

When Edgar finally regained his composure, he began gradually extricating his cock — a process that elicited more aftershocks of pleasure from the both of them — and then rolled onto his back on the bed next to Luna. She sighed happily and shivered before shifting onto her side and cozying up to him. Edgar looped his arm around her and allowed his fingers to dance up and down her sides.

“That was amazing,” he said with a chuckle. “And…much shorter than I’d expected.”

Luna giggled in reply and traced her fingertip along his bare chest, shivering at the feeling of his cream oozing out of her and down the back of her thigh.

“You’re correct on both counts,” she said, looking up at his face and smiling softly. “But you’re dead wrong if you think that I’m disappointed.” She bit her lip and nuzzled back against him. “It just means you’re going to last even longer on our next time around.”

Edgar blushed and he couldn’t hold back the grin that stretched over his lips.

‘ _Next time around? Fuck… I like this girl!_ ’

That was a sentiment that Edgar most certainly agreed with.

\-----------------


End file.
